One day when I can no longer go on
this is what I want to say
to new friends:
“I am back from the fields
I’ve spent there the best of my years
Where I’ve been
What I’ve seen and heard
And the lives that toiled
Next to mine
I have no doubt
That something great is emerging
There Right now,
Donde las lagrimas de nuestra abuelas
Rociaron el jardin
Como oleo de oraciones
Que aun no tienen respuesta
Donde los pellejitos de mi abuelo
Abonaron la tierra
Alimentando las semillas sembradas por
Amables desonocidos sin nombre.
If your heart is beating as strong as mine
It is possible
That you are considering
Joining the teams on the field
Eden is before us
As close as the aire
that speaks truth
at times nodding our heads in doubt
dudando
Que el jardin en que sonamos
Sea tan solo un espejismo
A modo de escapismo
Una vil trampa para no
Molestarnos con lo imposible
De la carga
Amarga
Que es disenar mundos
Que salven vidas
repletos de sol y frutos.
Y no te voy a mentir
Pintando paisajes edenicos
I am not going to spare you the details
I thought I would not make it back alive
But I’m back,
And the fields
thank God
behind me
but Eden is still before me…
The work
was vigorous strenuous
At times vile and hard
I went there to dig out hope
And in turn I had to dig deeper
Pulling out these scars
Porque de esperanza nunca hay suficiente
Por eso jamas se acaba
Fui a hacer algo bueno
Y Nuevo
I had a vision of dreams
creations we never knew
we’ve Never seen
I went to the field to join in teams
and I must confess at times
you will not know what this work means
there were moments
when confused, tired and abused
I could not grasp the vision
what is this,
that we are building?
I am not sure if I was there to succeed
But in the succession
I give you my tools
Because even in the haze
It’s my confession
Even when we feel as fools
it’s been worth it
Go on
continue without me…
Here are the blue prints
Plans and strategies
Tried and true
The wheel has been invented
No analysis is due
Solo usala y echala a rodar
Eden esta en frente
A la vuelta dela esquina
Llena de promesas sin cosechar
y en el espejo de sus claras aguas
Vemos la vida que fluye majestuosa
Bendecida y sin precio
Y si la matas llamandola Utopia
As true as it maybe
Eden is before
fine as fine a vision can be.
Before us Eden
And behind us we leave
The fields of
Loneliness
Hopelessness
Lovelessness
And the mean
Ways we deal
with each other
it’s a mess
The trouble we stir up
In vain furthering our pain.
I’m not gonna sugar coat it
I want to keep it real,
Vengo de regreso de los campos
no ha sido facil
la verdad
Es real la inversion
Sea lo que sea
Lo que con Dios estemos armando
Creando, con Dios inventando
Priceless it is,
it aint cheap
It has cost us an arm and a leg
y un ojo de la cara
cuando te lo pidan
te quitaras la capa
de las espaldas
you will for sure
do the turning of the cheek
many
times
over…
Because
What’s at stake
Eden before us
Behind we leave scars
From the battle
Of devising
And building
Resting on God
And dreaming
We’ve paved the way
Up to here
And where I stand
Before you today
As far as we’ve come
As much as we’ve done
Before us Eden
God is with you
As you press on…!
Spoken Word Poetry: Before us Eden
AETH at Princeton Theological School
Oct. 12, 2016
“This for me was truly an honor and a moment of affirmation, as I was invited to present this spoken word as the prelude to Rev. Dr. Justo Gonzalez’ sermon that night.” -Tere
poeticprophecy.com 