Earlier this week, I finally completed a draft of my commission for WomenSing’s “Youth Inspiring Youth” contest. It was my first time working with Spanish poetry. I’ve always thought that Spanish is a beautiful language, and it was wonderful to set to music. The poem I chose was written by two nine-year-old girls from California. Here it is:

[column col=”1/2″ last=”no”] Hay un Río Oscuro

En la alcantarilla de la calle

En frente de mi escuela.

Nació de la lluvia

Y ya no corre más.

Se queda triste

Con gotas de gasolina

Y un papel rojo

Que tiró un niño

Después de comer un dulce.

Pero aun triste y sucio

Lleva la sombra de mi cara

Las nubes andrajosas

Y en blanco y negro

Todo el cielo.  [/column]

[column col=”1/2″ last=”yes”] [column col=”1/2″ last=”no”] There is a dark river

In the gutter of the street

In front of my school.

I was born in the rain

And isn’t flowing anymore.

It’s sort of sad

With drops of gasoline

And a red wrapper

Some kid tossed

After eating a candy.

But although it’s sad and filthy

It carries the shadow of my face

The tattered clouds

And in white and black

The whole sky. [/column]

Michelle Díaz Garza, age 9
& Rosa Baum, age 9
Watsonville, California

Beautiful, isn’t it? Over the next couple months I’ll be working with the WomenSing family to finalize the piece, which will be premiered in June 2013.