The night watches over its creatures,
except for the pine trees that never change:
the old wounded springs that spring
blessed gum, eternal afternoons.
If they could, the trees would lift you
and carry you from valley to valley,
and you would pass from arm to arm,
a child running
from father to father.

~ Gabriela Mistral

Gabriela Mistral is the pseudonym for Lucila Godoy y Alcayaga – a famous Chilean poet, who was born the daughter of a poet in 1889.  Gabriela began writing poetry when she was a schoolteacher – a career she maintained before she became famous for her writing.  She was also very influential in her country’s educational system, as well as Mexico’s, sat on the League of Nation’s cultural committees and was Chilean consul in Naples, Lisbon and Madrid. 

In addition, Gabriela held a number of honorary degrees and taught Spanish literature at various universities in the United States and Puerto Rico.  She received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945.  Her complete work of poetry was not published until a year after her death, in 1958.