The last performance at Love By Design was singer, songwriter Ka Malinalli along with Leo Aether who’s latest album “Vuelo al Sur“is being released this month. It was getting close to dusk. The audience had thinned out, and volunteers began packing away tables and chairs.
As part of the Swamp Sistas Songwriters Circle, a gathering of women under the
lead of Beth McKee, Ka had written a song about the Pulse Tragedy. The song was written in Spanish, so before it was performed, she strummed the chords, as Leo read the translation. With Ka’s permission, I will share it here.
“Rumor del Viento” (Whispering Wind)
The voices of the ones who fell travel in the whispering wind.
The loves were silenced under fierce attacks of fire.
Joyful advocates of unconditional equality, transcendental essence of love.
They are victims of hatred deeply embedded in our history, invoking the light of humanity.
The grief of the ones who remain is kept by the whispering wind.
They keep in their breath the names that inspired a grand movement, of strong defenders of unconditional equality, transcendental essence of love.
And those who hate without thought,
will be blind as we march together,
beaming with this immense light of humanity.
We’ll be a great mountain.
We’ll be a great wall.
We’ll be a great canyon.
The whispering wind will find a refuge in the hearts
of those of us that can still appreciate the time given and look for reason.
And we will transform the songs of love,
into echoes of fight and revolution.
Sung in Spanish the song was even more beautiful. Looking around, I realized there were only a handful of people experiencing this amazing moment. The lyrics quietly faded away in the early evening breeze. I was so glad that I stayed as long as I did. This song encapsulated the day. My eyes burned as I stood and clapped. There was a quiet beauty in the moment. Creativity flourished even if largely unnoticed.