Gracias a la vida - Thanks to life

Violeta Parra is one of the most popular chilean singer and song writer.
She composed in 1966 the most enduring and enchanted song of her time " Thanks to life" for all the wonderful details of love and beauty that she was able to find in her difficult existence.


Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life which has given me so much,
Me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro,
It gave me two eyes that when I open them,
Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco,
I can distinguish perfectly black from white,
Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado,
And in the high heaven its starry background,
Y en la multitudes el hombre que yo amo.
And in the multitudes the man I love.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto,
Thanks to life which has given me so much,
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario,
It's given me sound and the alphabet,
Y con el las palabras que pienso y declaro,
And with it the words that I think and declare,
Madre, amigo, hermano y luz alumbrando,
Mother, friend, brother, and burning light,
La ruta del alma de el que estoy amando.
The route of the sould of the one I am loving.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto,
Thanks to life which has given me so much,
Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho,
It's given me sound that in all its magnitude,
Graba noche y día grillos y canarios,
Records night and day crickets and canaries,
Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
Hammers, turbines, dogs' barks, storms,
Y la voz tan tierna de mi buen amado.
And the voice so tender of my good beloved.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto,
Thanks to life which has given me so much,
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados,
It's given me the steps of my tired feet,
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
With them I walked though cities and puddles,
Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
Beaches and deserts, mountains and plains,
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.
And your house, your street, and your patio.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto,
Thanks to life which has given me so much,
Me ha dado la risa, me ha dado el llanto,
It's given me laughter, it's given me tears,
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
Thereby I distinguish good fortune from ruin,
Los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
` The two materials that make up my song,
Y el canto de ustedes que es mi propio canto.
And the song of all of you that is my own song.

¡Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto!
Thanks to life which has given me so much!

Strangers

A sudden certainty is born

when two strangers

stand under the blue sky

watching the clouds pass

sense an unknown

feeling of waiting for

someone who will soon arrive

have they already met?

maybe in a dream or a glance,

both sitting in a train, or a bus

or waiting in a queue

yesterday or last month?

they are still strangers

but they know

they can not escape fate

or make destiny happen

for good or bad