POEM BY MARISA RIVIERE
Yo vengo de un pais lleno de niebla, de confusiones e historias mal contadas.
Un pais que fue arrasado muchas veces por envidia, ambiciones y orgullos injustificados.
Una tierra de espanto y de sozobra.
Yo vengo de un paiz donde la pena en vez de hacerse grito se hace canto.
Un pais donde el dolor nos quiebra el cuerpo y el cuerpo herido se convierte en danza.
Un pais donde los ojos se nos cierran de tanto ver mentira y desengaños
para abrise ante el arte que nos cuenta nuestra tristeza con color de esperanza.
Un pais donde unos pocos entre muchos juntan las piezas del espejo roto
dando vida a la voz de los abuelos desde sus bandoneones y guitarras
y de donde, surcando huellas nuevas, aun los mantienen vivos en el tango.
En ese tango que no es tan solo un balie, un canto o una musica que alegra los oidos.
En ese tango que es rito, que es plegaria, combate, union de pueblos, que es duelo y desafio.
Yo vengo de un pais lleno de niebla al que la voz del tango lo ilumina.
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I come from a land full of fog and of distorted history.
A land dragged down by envy, greed and unjustified pride.
A land of horror and incertitudes.
I come from a land where the cry of the people becomes the words of songs
and where pain-wounded bodies learn how to heal with the beat of a dance.
A land where our eyes shut down in front of so many lies and deception,
but still can see the art that returns our suffering tinted with sparks of hope.
A land where a few, among the many, pick up the pieces of the broken mirror,
giving life to the voice of their ancestors from their bandoneons and from their guitars.
A land where, opening up new trails, they keep their dreams alive within the tango.
Within that tango which is not only a dance, a song or a music that pleases our ears.
But that tango which is a rite, a way of praying, a fight and symbol of the union of the people.
That tango that grieves, that challenges and that sustains our culture and our life.
That tango, our own tango.
I come from a land full of fog, were the voice of the tango brings in some shining light.
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I am very happy to see that Sylvie, who went to Argentina looking for the tango, was able
to see far beyond its "for export" expression and bring us back the testimony with her work.
We all know well that if we do not keep alive the memories of our dark past it may happen again.
I appreciate very much the generous sponsorships that enabled Sylvie to bring those memories
alive here, now, through her art.
I am also very happy to see that all of you, members of the tango community, are providing
support to Sylvie's project as well. It is a wonderful way of giving back to the land that gives
you what you love so much.
Thank you. Muchas gracias.