Gracias a la Vida
By Violeta Parra

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto /Thanks to Life who gave me so much
Me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro /Gave me two stars, when I open them
Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco /perfectly distinguish the black from the white
Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado /and the starred background of the high sky
Y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo /and in the crowds the man I love.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto /Thanks to Life who game me so much,
Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho /gave me the hearing which in all its width
Graba noche y días grillos y canarios /night and day captures the cricket and the canary,
Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos /hammers, turbines, barks and squalls
Y la voz tan tierna de mi bienamado /and the tender voice of my beloved.

Gracias....... Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario /gave me the sound and the alphabet,
Con él las palabras que pienso y declaro /and along the words I think and declare:
Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando /Mother, Friend, Brother, and Light illuminating
La ruta del alma del que estoy amando /the way to the soul of whom I love.

Gracias.......
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados/gave me the march of my tired feet,
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos /with them I walked cities and ponds,
Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos /beaches and deserts, mountains and plains,
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio /and the house of yours, your street and your backyard.

Gracias.......
Me dió el corazon que agita su marco /gave me a heart that flutters in its cage
Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano /when I see the fruit of the human brain,
Cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo /when I see the good, so far from the bad,
Cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros /when I see the bottom of your light eyes.

Gracias........
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto /gave me the laughter and gave me the crying,
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto /thus I can distingish joy and sadness,
Los dos materiales que forman mi canto /the two materials of which my song is made,
Y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto /and the song of yours which is the same,
Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto /and the song of all, which is my own song.

............................

I took some minimal poetic licenses:
marco = frame , but the idea is a heart that flutters and agitates its enclosure.
patio = patio but the idea is a home backyard, and patio can be mistaken for a restaurant.
graba = records ,but the sense is not a physical recording

Note: "distinguish the black from the white" has nothing to do with men's colors, but just the colors of things.
I think some Mudcatter could easily adapt this lyrics, which respects almost literally the original, to fit to the melody and keep the freshness and beauty of the poem.

Please, if I miss some request related to Spanish subjects, do not hesitate to send me a personal message.
Un abrazo - Andrés (who met Violeta in Chile for a minute, and heared her singing this song in an unforgettable night in Viña del Mar)^^