Thursday, March 31, 2022

César E. Chávez (March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993)

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Oración del campesino en la lucha


Enséñame el sufrimiento de los más desafortunados;
así conoceré el dolor de mi pueblo.
Líbrame a orar por los demás
porque estás presente en cada persona.
Ayúdame a tomar responsabilidad de mi propia vida;
sólo así, seré libre al fin.
Concédeme valentía para servir al prójimo
porque en la entrega hay vida verdadera.
Concédeme honradez y paciencia
para que yo pueda trabajar junto con otros trabajadores.
Alúmbranos con el canto y la celebración
para que se eleve el espíritu entre nosotros.
Que el espíritu florezca y crezca
para que no nos cansemos de la lucha.
Acordémonos de los que han caído por la justicia
porque a nosotros han entregado la vida.
Ayúdanos a amar aun a los que nos odian;
así podremos cambiar el mundo.
                                                                Amen.


                                            por-César E. Chávez

                                                                
Fundador del UFW 




by Robert Lentz



    Prayer of the Farm Workers' Struggle


Show me the suffering of the most miserable;
thus I will know my people's plight.
Free me to pray for others,
for you are present in every person.
Help me take responsibility for my own life
so that I can be free at last.
Grant me courage to serve my neighbor
for in surrender is there truly life.
Grant me honesty and patience
so that I can work with other workers.
Enlighten us with song and celebration
so that the spirit will be alive among us.
Let the spirit flourish and grow
so that we will never tire of the struggle.
Let us remember those who have died for justice
for they have given us life.
Help us love even those who hate us;
thus we can change the world.
                                                        Amen.


                                by-César E. Chávez

                                            
UFW Founder 


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Farm_Workers


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Sunday, March 20, 2022

Aries - Spring Equinox

 

Spring Equinox and Aries


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                        Aries

Al morueco de los comienzos
lo impulsa la estrella roja
que relumbra en sus ojos de diamante
y se refleja en sus cuernos de heliotropo,
sus pesuñas de hierro.
        Guarda el fuego cardinal del anhelo
        y sobre su cabeza
                giran el día y la noche
                        la noche y el día
                en el baile simétrico
                        del tiempo.
             


                                 © Rafael Jesús González 2022




                        Aries

The ram of beginnings
is driven by the red star
which shines in its diamond eyes,
reflects in its bloodstone horns,
its iron hoofs.
 

     It guards the cardinal fire
     of ambition
     and above its head
            turn day and night 
            night and day---- 
    in the symmetrical dance 
                  of time.



                        © Rafael Jesús González 2022





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Friday, March 18, 2022

full moon: A full Moon heralds

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A full moon heralds
spring and with her borrowed light
brings what hope she can.
The world is troubled, Earth is hurt,
humankind yet to awake.

 

© Rafael Jesús González 2022




Una luna llena anuncia
la primavera y con su luz prestada
trae cual esperanza pueda.
Está perturbado el mundo, dañada la Tierra,
la humanidad aun por despertar.

 

© Rafael Jesús González 2022



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Saturday, March 12, 2022

Mechika Year mahtlactli Tochtli (10 rabbit)

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Año mechika mahtlactli tochtli


La sombra del conejo 
en la cara de la luna llena 
atreviendo las espinas bravas
busca el corazón del maguey 
para ahogarse en aguamiel 
donde se fermentan los sueños.



                        © Rafael Jesús González 2022








Mechika Year mahtlactli Tochtli



The shadow of the rabbit 
on the face of the full moon 
daring the fierce thorns 
seeks the heart of the maguey 
to drown in the honey-water 
where dreams ferment.

            

                        © Rafael Jesús González 2022




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Monday, March 7, 2022

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Two Readings: Tuesday, March 8 & Thursday, March 10


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        March 8: Molly Fisk

"Processing Fire and Climate Disasters Through Poetry"
See recording of event.
Additional co-sponsors: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, Grass Roots Books & Music, and OSU's School of Writing, Literature, and Film

Molly Fisk is a poet, radio commentator, life coach, writing teacher, painter, mentor, and speaker. She is the author of four collections of poems and three compilations of essays/commentary. She served as Poet Laureate of Nevada County, California, from 2017 to 2019. She is the editor of California Fire & Water: A Climate Crisis Anthology, a project funded by a fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. Fisk created this project to teach kids across California to write poems about the climate crisis as a way to process their feelings about it. The anthology brings together selections from these youth poets, as well as poems by writers including Kim Shuck, Aileen Cassinetto, Rafael Jesús González, Ruth Bavetta, and Indigo Moor, all of whom will be reading with Molly.

&


Hella/A Mexican poetry reading in Berkeley

March 10, 2022 - 6:30pm-7:30pm 

Virtual Program

Join poet and food justice advocate, Kevin Madrigal Galindo, to celebrate the release of his first book of poetry: Hell/a Mexican. This poetry reading will include readings from local poets who all have ties to the East Bay, including Caleb Luna, a Ph.D. candidate in Performance Studies at UC Berkeley, whose first book of poetry Revenge Body is also out now!

Special appearances:
Rafael Jesús González (Berkeley Poet Laureate)
A.A. Vincent (Oakland based poet)

This is an online event that will be happening via Zoom.

Register here: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ImnQsWvPTNSsiEu0Fp3SIw

 




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