“Luz de octubre / October Light” by Xánath Caraza

“Luz de octubre / October Light” by Xánath Caraza

 

La canasta roja para pan está lista

Las manos de Nila no paran

Hornean felicidad

Hacen flores de papel para el altar

Tejen arcos de cempaxóchiles amarillas

Bordan manteles de mariposas rojas

 

Campanadas suenan a lo lejos

Anuncian que la hora ha llegado

Hay que abrirles la puerta

Ya llegan, ya vienen

 

El humo de copal marca el camino

Ya llegan

Se oyen los pasos de azúcar blanca

Las voces del pasado

Las risas se confunden con las campanadas

Entonan su concierto

Anuncian la llegada

 

El sol se perdió entre las estrellas

Desde las montañas nubladas

Descienden las almas

Ya las veo

 

El pueblo se llena de alegría

Las puertas de madera se abren

Para los seres queridos que regresan esta noche

Tomados de las manos, juntos

Los vivos y las almas

Beben chocolate

Y papel picado

Ya llegan, las almas descienden

 

Tan sólo esta noche

Nila descansa

Viejita de manos grandes

De pasos de azúcar blanca

Cuyas manos no paran

Hornean para las almas

Luz de octubre que revuelve el alma

 

Xanath Caraza

October Light

 

The red bread basket is at hand

Nila’s hands do not stop

Bake happiness

Fold paper flowers for the altar

Weave yellow marigold arches

Embroider red butterfly tablecloths

 

Bells ring from afar

Announcing the hour upon us

Open the door

Here they come; they arrive

 

Copal smoke leads the way

Here they come

Their white sugar steps can be heard

Voices from the past

Laughter mixed with bells

Singing their concert

Announcing their arrival

 

The sun is lost among the stars

From the foggy mountains

The souls are descending

I see them

 

The town is full of happiness

The wooden doors are opening

For the loved ones returning tonight

Holding hands, together

Those alive and the souls

Drink hot cocoa

And colorful cut paper

Here they come, descending souls

 

Only tonight

Nila rests

Viejita with large hands

Of white sugar steps

Whose hands never stop

Baking for the souls

October light stirs in my soul

 

 

“Luz de octubre & October Light” by Xánath Caraza are included in Conjuro (Caraza X., Mammoth Publications, 2012). Translated into the English by the author.

 

Conjuro received Second place in the ‘Best Poetry Book in Spanish’ category of the 2013 International Latino Book Awards.  In 2013 Conjuro also received Honorable mention in the ‘Best First Book in Spanish, Mariposa Award’ category of the 2013 International Latino Book Awards. Conjuro was an award-winning finalist in the 'Fiction: Multicultural' category of the 2013 International Book Awards.