GABRIEL MISTRAL

Gabrielle Roy HOME
GABRIEL MISTRAL The Teacher's Prayer Lord, you who taught, forgive me that I teach; forgive me that I bear the name of teacher, the name you bore on earth. Grant me such devoted love for my school that not even beauty's flame will detract from my faithful tenderness. Master, make my fervor longlasting and my disillusion brief. Uproot from me this impure desire for justice that still troubles me, the petty protest that rises up within me when I am hurt. Let not the incomprehension of others trouble me, or the forgetfulness of those I have taught sadden me. Let me be more maternal than a mother; able to love and defend with all of a mother's fervor the child that is not flesh of my flesh. Grant that I may be successful in molding one of my pupils into a perfect poem, and let me leave within her my deepestfelt melody that she may sing for you when my lips shall sing no more. Make me strong in my faith that your Gospel is possible in my time, so that I do not renounce the daily battle to make it live. Let your luminous radiance descend upon my modest school as it did upon the barefoot children who surrounded you. Make me strong even in my weakness as a woman, and particularly as a poor woman. Make me scorn all power that is not pure, and all duress that is not your flaming will upon my life. Those Who Do Not Dance A crippled child Said, “How shall I dance?” Let your heart dance We said. Then the invalid said: “How shall I sing?” Let your heart sing We said Then spoke the poor dead thistle, But I, how shall I dance?” Let your heart fly to the wind We said. Then God spoke from above “How shall I descend from the blue?” Come dance for us here in the light We said. All the valley is dancing Together under the sun, And the heart of him who joins us not Is turned to dust, to dust. Close To Me Little fleece of my flesh That I wove in my womb, Little shivering fleece, Sleep close to me! The partridge sleeps in the clover Hearing its heart beat. My breathing will not wake you. Sleep close to me! Little trembling blade of grass Astonished to be alive, Don't leave my breast. Sleep close to me! I who have lost everything Am now afraid to sleep. Don't slip away from my arms. Sleep close to me!

The Teacher's Prayer

Lord, you who taught, forgive me that I teach;
forgive me that I bear the name of teacher,
the name you bore on earth.
Grant me such devoted love for my school
that not even beauty's flame will detract
from my faithful tenderness.
Master, make my fervor longlasting
and my disillusion brief.
Uproot from me this impure desire for justice
that still troubles me,
the petty protest that rises up within me
when I am hurt.
Let not the incomprehension of others trouble me,
or the forgetfulness of those I have taught sadden me.
Let me be more maternal than a mother;
able to love and defend with all of a mother's fervor
the child that is not flesh of my flesh.
Grant that I may be successful
in molding one of my pupils into a perfect poem,
and let me leave within her my deepestfelt melody
that she may sing for you
when my lips shall sing no more.
Make me strong in my faith that your Gospel
is possible in my time,
so that I do not renounce
the daily battle to make it live.
Let your luminous radiance descend
upon my modest school
as it did upon the barefoot children
who surrounded you.
Make me strong even in my weakness as a woman,
and particularly as a poor woman.
Make me scorn all power that is not pure,
and all duress that is not
your flaming will upon my life.

Those Who Do Not Dance

A crippled child
Said, “How shall I dance?”
Let your heart dance
We said.
Then the invalid said:
“How shall I sing?”
Let your heart sing
We said
Then spoke the poor dead thistle,
But I, how shall I dance?”
Let your heart fly to the wind
We said.
Then God spoke from above
“How shall I descend from the blue?”
Come dance for us here in the light
We said.
All the valley is dancing
Together under the sun,
And the heart of him who joins us not
Is turned to dust, to dust.

Close To Me

Little fleece of my flesh
That I wove in my womb,
Little shivering fleece,
Sleep close to me!
The partridge sleeps in the clover
Hearing its heart beat.
My breathing will not wake you.
Sleep close to me!
Little trembling blade of grass
Astonished to be alive,
Don't leave my breast.
Sleep close to me!
I who have lost everything
Am now afraid to sleep.
Don't slip away from my arms.
Sleep close to me!