Kaminitos de Leche i Miel
Small Paths of Milk and Honey
De Beatriz Gómez Acuña1
A Typical 'Callejon' in Toledo - Photo by the author.
Kaminitos de leche i miel
Ke vayas i tornes con bien.
[Small paths of milk and honey
may you go and return safely.]
(Sephardic Traditional Saying)
(Dicho tradisional sefaradi)
Kaminitos de leche i miel...
84,5% Peninsula Iberika. El resultado de la prova djenetika fue tradusido en la kavesa de Tamar en una sola palavra: Toledo.
La Ketuba fue firmada el alhad i Miriam fue a la mikve de su famiya paterna, los Abenkayr, en el Kayejon de el Vedre, el lunes. I mas tadre, en la caza de Isaac, en Santo Tome, entre almendras i pistachos, se estrecharon los lazos familiares. El kazamiento ocurrio el mierkoles, ז׳ בְּתִשְׁרֵי רמ״א, kon el sol otonyal tinendo de oro el rio Tajo. Mazal bueno!
Abraam llego primero, despues Sara, mas tadre Daniel, e Ismael. Pasaron los anyos mientras los criaturas se reian, Isaac trabajaba, i Miriam oraba a su Dio su uniko deseo:
" Protejenos de la intoleransia. "
Isaac mantiene la yave serka de su pecho, i poko maz. Munchas lagrimas, kayadas i apretadas en los ombres, sonoras i libres en las mujeres. Adio, Amanzeit, adio, Assuika, adio, ponte de San Martin, aguas de el Tajo. Adio, adio Sefarad.
Oy, en Toledo, Tamar se apoya en la serka ke rodea la ekskavasion arkeolodjika de el Serro de la Orka i toka en su aldikera la lisa piedra redonda moldeada por las aguas de el Pacifiko. La ke trajo de su California natal. La protedje en su punyo serrado, mezkandola, savyendo ke la guardara por tiempo indefinido, asta ke los guesos hablen, aunke eya, en su korason, ya la ha ofryo.
... Ke vayas i tornes con bien.
&&&&&&&&&
Small paths of milk and honey ...
84.5% Iberian Peninsula. The result of the genetic test translated in Tamar’s head into a single word: Toledo.
The Ketubah was signed on Sunday and Miriam went to the mikveh of her paternal family, the Abencayr, in the Callejón del Verde, on Monday. And later, in Isaac’s home, in Santo Tomé, among almonds and pistachios, family ties narrowed. The marriage happened Wednesday ז׳ בְּתִשְׁרֵי רמ״א with autumnal sun dyeing the river Tagus gold. Mazel Tov!
Abraham arrived first, then Sara, later Daniel, and Ishmael. Years passed as the children laughed, Isaac worked, and Miriam prayed to her G-d her only wish: “Protect us from intolerance."
Isaac keeps the key near his chest, and little else. Many tears, quiet and tight in men, sonorous and free in women. Goodbye, Hamanzeit, goodbye, Assuica, goodbye, bridge of San Martín, waters of the Tagus. Goodbye, goodbye Sepharad.
Today, in Toledo, Tamar leans on the fence that surrounds the archaeological excavation of the Cerro de la Horca and touches in her pocket the smooth round stone molded by the waters of the Pacific. The one she brought from her native California. She protects it in her closed fist, rocking it, knowing that she will keep it for an indefinite time, until the bones speak, although she, in her heart, has already offered it.
... may you go and return safely.
1 Beatriz Gómez Acuña holds a Ph.D. In Spanish Medieval Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a Professor of Spanish and Latino Studies at Elmhurst University. Her scholarly interests pertain to the study of oral traditions and folklore in Spanish, Spanish-American and Judeo-Spanish communities. She is national president of Alpha Mu Gamma National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society.