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John Baker's Blog

Reflections of a working writer and reader

I felt like poisoning a monk. Umberto Eco explaining why he wrote The Name Of The Rose

A Poem by Gabriela Mistral

Those Who Do Not Dance

A crippled child
Said, “How shall I dance?”
Let your heart dance
We said.

Then the invalid said:
“How shall I sing?”
Let your heart sing
We said

Then spoke the poor dead thistle,
“But I, how shall I dance?”
Let your heart fly to the wind
We said.

Then God spoke from above
“How shall I descend from the blue?”
Come dance for us here in the light
We said.

All the valley is dancing
Together under the sun,
And the heart of him who joins us not
Is turned to dust, to dust.

English version by Helene Masslo Anderson

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