Xandu’ after the earthquake

Xandu

’* after the earthquake

How will you find the road that leads to what used to be your home?

The streets are full of rubble

The houses of the neighbors have been demolished

In what used to be your home now there is a desolated yard

The smell of cempasúchil is mitigated by the dust

The aromatic incense dissipates in the air

Even so, I will wait for you like every year

Even though now the feasts will be fewer

The altars will not be adorned

But still

I will leave a light on,

not just any light, a light of hope that will illuminate your way.

A light that will lead you to find us and even though we cannot see you and even though we cannot offer you much, you shall arrive and know that we still remember you

Receive this light and this cup of water, with some bread and fruit.

I imagine your journey has been long,

I am sorry if I cannot greet you like in other times

But it just trembled over dampened land,

it rained over what had trembled

and it still trembles over the rubble.

But…

if this year you cannot find the road that leads to what used to be your home,

I wish you a good return to what is now your dwelling,

may smiles paint again our faces on your next visit

and may we celebrate life again

as if not a single tear had the earthquake taken from our eyes