Maura Harvey is an award-winning bilingual poet, whose work
has appeared in collected works and venues
from San Diego to Venezuela. Her
art has been exhibited internationally from México to Istanbul. She feels at
home in the world because her home is where her art takes her. More information: MauraHarvey.com
El jardín de los recuerdos
de mi padre aprendí a amar
el cactus de orquídea
con sus flores suntuosas color magenta
las que apenas duran tres días
en su último año de vida
mi padre cantaba
romances tradicionales todas las mañanas
para espantar el porvenir
resucito sus plantas
por debajo de donde colgaban
olvidadas entre la maleza,
con manos seguras las planto en nuevas macetas
con mi madre aprendo
de los días en el jardín de la familia:
cactus, naranjos, adelfas,
tíos, tías, primos, rosas rojas
luego se adormece
sueña con su infancia
las plantas cantan su sueño de primavera eterna:
tierra, lluvia y sol
Maura Harvey
Julio, 2020
Garden of Memory
from my father I learned to love
the orchid cactus
epiphyllum with sumptuous magenta blooms,
the ones that last just three days
in his last year my father sang
traditional ballads every morning
to frighten away the future
I resuscitate his plants,
pull them down from where they've hung
forgotten in the overgrowth,
with sure hands plant them in new pots
with my mother I learn
about days
in the family garden:
cactus, orange trees,oleanders,
uncles, aunts, red roses
then she nods off,
dreams of her childhood
the plants sing their dream of eternal spring:
soil, rain and sun
Maura Harvey
July, 2020