[Camino Poem No. 14] What you loved

This is the 14th of 42 posts about the poems which carried me through the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Aug-Sep 2016. 

Day 14- What you loved - Gabriela Mistral 

Translated by Ursula K. Le Guin (original below)

Life of my life, what you loved I sing.

If you're near, if you're listening,

think of me now in the evening:

shadow in shadows, hear me sing.

Life of my life, I can't be still.

What is a story we never tell?

How can you find me unless I call?

Life of my life, I haven't changed,

not turned aside and not estranged.

Come to me as the shadows grow long,

come, life of my life, if you know the song

you used to know, if you know my name.

I and the song are still the same.

Beyond time or place I keep the faith.

Follow a path or follow no path,

never fearing the night, the wind,

call to me, come to me, now at the end,

walk with me, life of my life, my friend.

**

I *love* the flexibility of this poem. What meaning does 'life of my life' take on for you? 

At different times, it has meant for me: my creativity, the natural world, a younger version of myself, or a loved friend. 

But mostly I have gravitated towards speaking this poem for my father, who died from a heart attack when I was eleven. Much of my camino walking has, I think, been for him. It was not really until my first camino (in 2013) that I began my grieving process, a mere fifteen years after he died!

As I was walking this camino, I found myself moving into new territories. I was no longer wanting just to mourn, but also to celebrate; no longer so fearful of the pain, but wanting to build an active, loving connection with my father. This poem spoke to that, deeply. 

Weeks later, in Santiago, I recounted this story - and the poem - to a pilgrim from the USA. I shared how I wanted to connect with (sing!) the things that my father loved - sailing, walking, political discussions. The pilgrim replied, 'and, you have to remember, one of the things he loved was you'. 

Gets me every time. 

(this Mistral poem was chosen by my Norwegian friends)

On this day (day 14), I walked 25km from Tosantos to Atapuerca. 

**

Canto que Amabas - Gabriela Mistral

Yo canto lo que tú amabas, vida mía,

por si te acercas y escuchas, vida mía,

por si te acuerdas del mundo que viviste,

al aterdecer yo canto, sombra mía.

Yo no quiero enmudecer, vida mía.

¿Cómo sin mi grito fiel me hallarías?

¿Cuál señal, cuál me declara, vida mía?

Soy la misma que fue tuya, vida mía.

Ni lenta ni trascordada ni perdida.

Acude al anochecer, vida mía,

ven recordando un canto, vida mía,

si la canción reconoces de aprendida

y si mi nombre recuerdas todavía.

Te espero sin plazo y sin tiempo.

No temas noche, nebline ni aguacero.

Acude con sendero o sin sendero.

Llámame adonde tú eres, alma mía,

y marcha recto hacia mí, compañero.