En Mi Ciudad | In My City
Por Allison Beyer y Carlos Centellas
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Vivo en una ciudad
Y entre todo
Corre un río
de bella inmensidad
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos sonidos
Ambulancias y conciertos
Hay trenes y buses
Que vienen y van,
Que vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos caminos
Carreteras y senderos
Hay bicicletas y aviones
Que vienen y van,
Que vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchas palabras
Bibliotecas y tiendas
Hay mercados y escuelas
Que vienen y van,
Que vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos colores
Parques y puentes
Hay flores y fuentes
Que vienen y van,
Que vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos lugares
Casas y hogares
Hay personas y animales
Que vienen y van,
Que vienen y van
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Y entre todos y todas,
Entre el todo y la nada,
Corre el río
de bella inmensidad
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Que viene y que va,
Que viene y que va
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Fluyendo y yendo
Por donde siempre
Ha ido y
Siempre irá
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos olores
Pasto y rocío
Hay escarcha y café
Que vienen y van,
Vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchas fronteras
Barrios y bosques
Hay pobrezas y riquezas
Que vienen y van,
Vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos espíritus
Cementerios e iglesias
Hay historias y futuros
Que vienen y van,
Vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchas paradojas
Fábricas y águilas
Hay granjas y orillas
Que vienen y van,
Vienen y van
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En mi ciudad
Hay muchos asombros
Luciérnagas y relámpagos
Hay tortugas y estrellas
Que vienen y van,
Vienen y van
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Y entre todos y todas,
Entre el todo y la nada,
Corre el río
de bella inmensidad
​
Que viene y va,
Viene y va
​
Fluyendo y yendo
Por donde siempre
Ha ido y
Siempre irá
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Abrazando a cada campo,
Cada vecindario
Cada uno y cada una
Doblando
Desbordando
Reflejando
Transportando
Susurrando
Corriendo
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En mi ciudad
Con su bella inmensidad
I live in a city
And through it all
Runs a river
Of boundless beauty
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In my city
There are many sounds
Ambulances and concerts
There are trains and buses
That come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many paths
Highways and trails
There are bicycles and airplanes
That come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many words
Libraries and storefronts
There are markets and schools
That come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many colors
Parks and bridges
There are flowers and fountains
That come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many places
Houses and homes
There are people and animals
That come and go,
Come and go
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And through it all,
Surrounding us all,
In between nothing and everything,
Runs the river of boundless beauty
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That comes and goes,
Comes and goes
​
Flowing and going
Where it has always gone and
Where it will always go
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In my city
There are many smells
Grass and dew
Frost and coffee
They come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many boundaries
Neighborhoods and woods
Poverty and wealth
They come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many spirits
Cemeteries and churches
Histories and futures
They come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many paradoxes
Factories and eagles
Farms and shorelines
They come and go,
Come and go
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In my city
There are many wonders
Lightning bugs and lightning bolts
Turtles and stars
They come and go,
Come and go
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And through it all,
Surrounding us all,
In between nothing and everything,
Runs the river of boundless beauty
​
That comes and goes,
Comes and goes
​
Flowing and going
Where it has always gone and
Where it will always go
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Embracing every field
Every community
Each and every one of us
Bending
Rushing
Reflecting
Carrying
Whispering
Running
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In my city
With boundless beauty
About the Authors
Carlos Centellas’s background countries are Argentina and Bolivia. 12 years in Argentina, 18 in Bolivia, and now 6 years
in the US. He is still an explorer in the US. He loves learning English every day. He is a Zumba instructor where his mission
is spreading joy wherever he goes. He is thrilled to share a poem as the unique Centellas Beyer family in a way they show
their two little ones their beloved South Bend home. He said that he knows you did the math, he is 36!
Allison Beyer is also 36 and originally from Michigan. She has always loved poetry from a very young age. She loves
painting, singing, dancing, gardening and bird watching.
Carlos and Allison have worked together on various projects over the years--translating texts, dancing salsa, moving
across the world, navigating cultures not their own, and raising their beautiful children together. For this project, They
wrote the first draft in Spanish and then went back and forth, taking turns changing ideas, words, and poetic turns of
phrase. They had fun. Then, translating it to English was a bit harder for them! The inspiration for the poem came from
their life in South Bend, from the river that surrounds them. The river frames and witnesses so much of life here--the
good, the bad, the violent, the blessed. A walk along the constant river always does good for the mind and soul.