Chapter 4

Leave It Now Mamaku

So you’re washing once again mamaku, dear mother?
it’s raining now, don’t wash now
there’s water enough
and dirty clothing enough
for your sorrows,
and some days without rain.

Stop washing more clothes mamaku
stop scouring against that rock,
it doesn’t hold your sadness
stop hurting your hands mamaku
these clothes are just¬ dirty tatters,
not my punishment.

Leave it now mamaku,
I beg you
let your tears transform into foamy water
and this wretchedness in the air pursues me
relentlessly
Stop twisting those clothes, no more wringing,
it does no good.
these waters cannot free you from your pain.

Leave it now, leave that timeworn rock
it cannot speak,
leave its pores to guard you laments
speak no more to it.
Leave it now mamaku, for the rain carries on.

Pakasqa Ñan

Illariypa qawariyninmi
ñawpa kawsayta ullqayrispa
sumaq uyakunata ruwarichin,
munay luych’uchakunataqmi
kharu ñankunapi tarikuspa
kusi kusisqa pitwikachanku.

Ancha munanakuymi
tunas sachaq pachanpi rukupayukuspa
paraq munayninta allwirichin,
urpiq kusikuynintaqmi
pakasqa ñankunapi
kusi kawsayta tarpurin.

Shaynan munanakuyqa, wiñay taki
pukaykusqa phuyukunaq ruphaq rimariynin
wiñay pachaq kallpachakuynin
kapulihina yana ñawichakuna
pisunaypa maki rikranpi
chiri wayraq wiqinkuna.

Shaynan wayllunakuyqa, sumaq wayta
waylla ichuq ch’uya sukariynin
yuraq amanqaykunaq kusikuynin
k’uychiq chukchan
rit’i urquq qasqunpi
purun t’ikaq q’apariynin.

Shaynan wayllunakuyqa, killa k’anchariycha
q’intiq wiñay musquynin
shullaq llanpu uyan
chiqnisqa musquykunapa yuyariynin
pachaq ukhu sunqunpi
upallaypa phiña phiña qapariynin.