Indigenous Wisdom
Roots deep
In native soil
Head in the clouds
Balanced on
Strands of
Silver filigree
Bound by knots
Of ñandutí
Connected to the
Warp and weft
Of the world
The smell of burnt
Yerba mate
Sugar and carbón
Hang in the air
Like an unfinished
Sentence
She cradles the
Human condition
In her arms
Barro rojo between
Her toes
Waterfalls in
Her eyes
Ondas sonoras
Debajo de mis pies
una mujer gorjea
ópera arpegios
arias emocionales
reverberando a
través de mangueras
metálicos
arriba el techo
se estremece
aeróbicamente
golpes y golpes
de pies reacios
a levantarse un
bailarín agotado
en mi cuarto
sube el calor
repiqueteos y
gemidos del radiador
mezclan con el
lúgubre lamento
de la tetera
no hay silencio en
esta ciudad no hay
ninguna esquina
tranquila para
bajar la cabeza
pues yo duermo
a golpes y silbidos
gorjeos haciendo
eco dentro de
los sueños
las vibraciones
sagradas del
universo
en mi oído
el sonido de la
vida apretado
en la cuna de
mis manos
Clara Elena García
Clara Elena García is a Paraguayan-born poet and musician based in Upstate New York. Her first book, “Juego de Palabras,” was published in May 2023 from Valparaiso Ediciones in Spain, and her second book, “Seven Legendary Monsters” is forthcoming from Revolutionaries Press in Australia.
Clara’s work has been featured in the Acentos Review, Alebrijes Review, and Axon Journal as well as several anthologies, including the Americas Poetry Festival Multilingual Anthology by ArtePoetica Press. She recently was invited by Rigoberto Gonzalez to speak on a panel in Montclair, New Jersey about the importance of Spanish-language poetry in modern literature.
Clara is currently represented by Atifa Begom from Crescent Literary.
You can usually find her lurking on social media as @claraelenadice.
