Gabriela Mistral

The crimson rose / plucked yesterday, / the fire and cinnamon / of the carnation, // the bread I baked / with anise seed and honey, / and the goldfish / flaming in its bowl. // All these are yours, baby born of woman, / if you’ll only go to sleep.

— Gabriela Mistral

Grant that I may be successful in molding one of my pupils into a perfect poem, and let me leave within her deepest-felt melody that she may sing for you when my lips shall sing no more.

— Gabriela Mistral

Of the enemies of the soul— / the world, the devil, the flesh— / the world is the most serious and most dangerous.

— Gabriela Mistral

I will leave behind me the dark ravine, and climb up gentler slopes toward that spiritual mesa where at last a wide light will fall upon my days. From there I will sing words of hope, without looking into my heart. As one who was full of compassion wished: I will sing to console men.

— Gabriela Mistral

He kissed me and now I am someone else.

— Gabriela Mistral

My grief and my smile begin in your face, my son.

— Gabriela Mistral