by Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga (1889 - 1957), as Gabriela Mistral

Cuéntame, madre...
Language: Spanish (Español) 
Madre, cuéntame todo lo que sabes por tus viejos dolores. 
Cuéntame cómo nace y cómo viene su cuerpecillo, 
entrabado con mis vísceras.

Dime si buscará solo mi pecho o si se lo debo ofrecer, incitándolo.

Dame tu ciencia de amor, ahora, madre. Enséñame las nuevas caricias, 
delicadas, más delicadas que las del esposo.

¿Cómo limpiaré su cabecita, en los días sucesivos? 
¿Y cómo lo liaré para no dañarlo?

Enséñame, madre, la canción de cuna con que me meciste. 
Esa lo hará dormir mejor que otras canciones.

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Confirmed with Gabriela Mistral, Desolación: Poemas, New York : Instituto de las Españas de los Estados Unidos, 1922, p.183


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  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Albert Theile , "Mutter, erzähl mir", copyright © and by Gisela Pape , "Mutter, erzähl mir", copyright © ; composed by Sylke Zimpel.

Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-01-03
Line count: 10
Word count: 86