Candelaria S. Garcia

Candelaria Garcia, our beloved mother and grandmother went to be with our Lord on January 14, 2018. She was born February 2, 1930 in Tizamar, Veracruz Mexico. Candelaria is preceded in death by her husband, Carlos Garcia; parents, Donaciano and Sophia Sanchez Aleman. She is survived by her son, Miguel Antonio Rodriguez; daughter, Rosalinda (Ralph) Mendez and granddaughter, Melody Marie Mendez; sister, Flora Sanchez; brother, Santiago Sanchez of Veracruz Mexico. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to Yolanda Garcia, Isabel Rodriguez who took exceptional care of our mother and to Dr. Michael Winnie for his years of caring for her. Thanks to our friends that always took time to visit our mother. We really appreciate your kindness.

Public visitation will be at Funeraria Del Angel on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at 12 noon and will conclude with a chapel service at 2:00 p.m. that same day. Please visit www.funerariadelangel.com to offer condolences.

En la madrugada fuimos a la playa, tu y yo, como te prometí

Mientras jugabas con los caracoles en la arena

Entre al agua hasta las rodillas

Para asegurarme que el mismo mar

no te quitaría de mi

Pero cuando volví por ti

Solo quedaban los caracoles sembrados en la arena.

Grite tu nombre y la brisa salerosa me lo regreso

Dejándome sola con un rosal de caracol

Recién alumbrado

Por la luz de la manana y el saber

Que el candor de una flor lejana

Me había dejado despierta en un sueno sin ti.

Pero que son los suenos

Sino lastima por lo que la vida no nos dio

Ahora puedes olvidarte de todo

De lo que quieras, mi nino,

Y Dame tus manos, lo único que tienes de tu padre,

Porque ya termine contigo

Y regreso a Veracruz sin pesares

Sabiendo que hice bien contigo

Desde esa manana cuando tomaste mi mano

Y cruzamos la frontera

Con tu sombrerito y tus botas negras

Y jamas regresamos

Dejando atrás

El infierno del apartamento

Que tu padre rentaba sobre una carnicería

Con banquetas goteadas de sangre

Y perros callejeros ladrando por toda la noche

Pero nunca repelabas, ni llorabas, y te dormías

Con mis dedos acariciando tu espalda.

Cuando tu padre llegaba, por la madrugada,

Me preguntaba, Porque estas en la oscuridad?

Me sobra Luz, le decía.

Nunca regresamos

Y tu padre nunca nos busco

Si por pobreza me desprecio

Yo le concedo razón

Pero yo no le pedí riqueza

Le ofrecí mi corazón

Y mi hirió la verdad que jamas me quiso.

Por eso, cuando naciste, fuiste una bendición,

Como la había sido tu hermana, Rosalinda, cuando ella nació.

Regreso ha Veracruz

En el ocaso de mi vida

Arrullada por las canciones del eterno descanso

Despertándome en la sombra de las palmas

Arrullada por el son del mar

Halado mis hermanitas

mis hermanos

y mis padres.

Pensando en ambos, mi nino, y mi nina,

Mis suenos realizados

Despierta, en un sueno, sin fin.

______________________________

LA CANDE

In the morning we went to the beach

You and I

Like I promised you we would

While you played with the seashells in the sand

I entered the water

To reassure myself the same sea wouldn't take you from me

When I returned

Planted in the sand

Were the sea shells

I cried for you

But the sea breeze returned your name to me

Leaving me within rose crowned seas shells

Lit by the morning light

Knowing a distant flower's warmth had taken you

Leaving me awake in a dream without you.

What are dreams

But pity for what life kept from us

Now you can let go, my son, of everything

Give me your hands

Your father's sole inheritance

I've completed my duty to you

And I'm returning to Veracruz without regrets

Knowing I did well by you

Ever since that morning when you took my hand

And we crossed the border

Wearing your straw hat and little black boots

We never went back

Leaving behind

The heat soaked apartment

That your father rented for us

Above the slaughterhouse

With blood splattered sidewalks

And barking stray dogs lamenting the night

Yet, you never complained, you didn't cry

Lulled to sleep by the caress of my fingers along your back.

When your father arrived at dawn

He would ask me, Why are you in the dark?

I've got light to spare, I would say.

We never went back

And he never looked for us

If he didn't want me because I had nothing

I would've understood

But I didn't ask him for anything

I gave him my heart

And it hurt that he never loved me

Which is why when you arrived

it was a blessing

Like your sister, Rosalinda, had been when she was born.

I return to Veracruz

In the twilight of my life

Lulled to sleep by the songs of eternal rest

Awoken by the lull of the sea

In a dream without end

Underneath the shadow of the palms

Beside my sisters

My brothers

My father and mother

Thinking of you, mi nino y mi nina,

My dreams incarnated.