Elizabeth Mora reading ‘Generación’

Niña, duerme.
Niña, despierta.
¡Un nuevo mundo te espera!
My baby, are you awake?
Tell me, did you make it?

Mami, duerme.
Madre, despierta. 
You always told me
¡Mija sigue adelante!
Daughter, grow where you are sown.
In the sun’s shadow I wither inside my own.

Abuelita, duerme.
Abuela, despierta.
¿Cuál fue el mundo que viviste?
Grandmother, are you awake?
Tell me, how did you make it?

Which sun,
Which water mouth,
What Mother love
blessed your spring?

Granddaughter, Mija
Yesterday, we laughed.
Yesterday, we prayed.
While our daughters laughed,
we asked Pacha Mama
Can this last forever?

Yesterday, we told the truth.
We disowned the lies.
Defying destiny, we were.
Creating our own, we were.

Amiga, duerme.
Amiga, despierta.
My sister, are you awake?
Tell me, do you remember me?

Recuerda que aún sigo aquí.

Glossary and transliterations 

Generación: (xe-ne-ɾa-sjon) generation

Niña: (ni-ɲa) little girl, my baby, my dear 

Duerme: (ðweɾ-me) sleep

Despierta: (des-pjeɾ-ta) awaken

¡Un nuevo mundo te espera!: A new world awaits you!

Mami: (ma-mi) Mum, Mummy 

Madre: (ma-ðɾe) Mother, elder  

Mija: (mi-xa) similar to dear or lovely, an endearing term that combines the words “mi” (my) and “hija” (daughter).

¡Mija sigue adelante!: similar to “You can do it!”, “Keep going!”, “Nothing can stop you!”

Abuelita: (a-βwe-li-ta) Granny, Gran 

Abuela: (a-βwe-la) Grandmother, elder

¿Cuál fue el mundo que viviste?: similar to “tell me about your life?”, “what world did you inherit?” 

Pacha Mama: (Pa- tʃa- ma-ma) is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is also known as the earth/time mother.

Amiga: (a-mi-ɣa) an affectionate term for a friend (feminine)

Recuerda que aún sigo aquí: similar to “Never forget, I am here for you”, “I will always be here”

Born in Queens, raised in Ecuador, and now living in Bidjigal country, Elizabeth – known to her Mamá as Verito – is a diasporic Chola writing at the intersection of time, place and identity.

She was a participant of the inaugural Citizen Writes Project, curated by Carnival of the Bold and Diversity Arts Australia. Her work has been recently published in Honi Soit, University of Sydney Student Anthology and Las Doñas, Australian Ecuadorian Cultural Association Latin American Women’s Writing Anthology.

Find her at: thelightthedark.wordpress.com