The Cholas of the Market - Marcelo Quispe

The poem Las cholas del mercado by the Argentinian poet Marcelo Quispe.

Las Cholas del Mercado

The Cholas from the Market

La tierra las florece entre pastizales o rocas La tierra florece cholas sentadas en los mercados, en las calles, en los cerros… La tierra las nace con sombreros y trenzas Innumerables y persistentes las diosas del barro se abren con la lluvia esparciendo sus aromas Ellas son el origen de los colores en el planeta Ellas pintaron los ajíes, los tomates, las mariposas, los colibríes, las noches tristes y los amores No hay imagen más bella en esta tarde calurosa de carnaval que esa mujer sentada, perdón, brotada dulcemente de la tierra jugando al silencio con sus verduras

The land blooms between grasslands or rocks The earth blooms cholas sitting in the markets, in the streets, on the hills... The earth delivered them with hats and braids Countless and persistent goddesses of mud They bloom with the rain spreading their aromas They are the origin of colors on the planet They painted the chili peppers, the tomatoes, the butterflies, the hummingbirds, the sad nights and the lovers There isn't more beautiful image on this hot carnival afternoon than that woman sat, pardon me, sprung sweetly from the earth playing in silence with her vegetables

*chola - a woman of indigenous ancestry.

Note: The English version available in this post is a loose translation from the original text.

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About the Poet

Marcelo Quispe (surname of Quechua origin meaning: transparent, translucent, brilliant) is a poet, teacher and puppeteer. Born in the province of Jujuy, but has lived in different places in Argentina: Salta, Buenos Aires, Rosario. Of Quechua origin on his father's side and Guaraní on his mother's side, he defines himself as a promoter of indigenous cultures and he is specialized in children's literature.