“Simple Gifts” / “Dones sencillos”

Willow Tree figures called “Sisters” that seem to be doing a dance and embody the spirit of this song.
Figurillas de Willow Tree que parecen estar haciendo una danza y encarnan el espíritu de este canto. 

Shaker* song written and composed in 1848 by Joseph Brackett. Spanish words by Magdalena I. García. 
Canto shaker* escrito y compuesto por Joseph Brackett. Letra en español de Magdalena I. García.

’Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free

’Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

’Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain’d,

To bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d.

To turn, turn will be our delight.

Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.

Es un don ser sencillo, gozar de libertad

es un don ubicarte donde deberías estar;
y cuando al fin te encuentres en el justo lugar,
hallarás el amor, te deleitarás.

La verdadera sencillez

busca servir, no muestra rubor,

procura cambiar y le da gran placer

girar en pos de un nuevo amanecer.

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The figurines were a gift from my dear friend, colleague and sista’ Pastor Jeanette Bass Jordan. 

Las figurillas fueron un regalo de mi querida amiga, colega y hermana la pastora Jeanette Bass Jordan. 

* Shaker 
noun 5. ( initial capital letter ) a member of the Millennial Church, originating in England in the middle of the 18th century and brought to the U.S. in 1774, advocating celibacy, common ownership of property, and a strict and simple way of life: so called from their practice of shaking during religious services. – dictionary.com 

* Shaker, rama de los cuáqueros protestantes
cuáquero, ra. 
(Del ingl. quaker, tembloroso). 
1. m. y f. Individuo de una doctrina religiosa unitaria, nacida en Inglaterra a mediados del siglo XVII, sin culto externo ni jerarquía eclesiástica. Se distingue por lo llano de sus costumbres, y en un principio manifestaba su entusiasmo religioso con temblores y contorsiones. - Diccionario de la Real Academia Española 

“Measuring spoons”

Ceramic measuring spoons bought for a dear friend.

by Magdalena I. García

Plastic, metal or porcelain.

A number of pieces sold as a set.

Available in many sizes.

Held together by a ring.

Essential to measure

the right amount of  ingredients,

either liquid or dry,

to compliment a recipe.

They’re ever present in American kitchens,

indispensable for the successful execution

of everyday cooking and holiday recipes.

So they are often part of the dowry

given to a new bride.

No kitchen seems complete

without measuring spoons.

And yet I never saw measuring spoons

in the kitchens of my Cuban childhood,

where all kinds of dishes were prepared,

from hearty bean stews to tasty tropical treats.

I was raised by a generation of women

who used their own hands and eyes

to measure a pinch, a dash, a smidgen.

As I reflect on my own life,

so often out of sync yet longing for balance,

I look at my hands and remember

that no woman’s life is complete

without a set of internal measuring spoons.

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Written as part of a gift—a set of ceramic measuring spoons with butterflies—for my friend Susan Pudelek, one of the women who has taught me volumes about the importance of balance.