Unique among the thousands of plaques in Recoleta Cemetery, Angélica Blanco Granada wrote a poem about her own death. Only 19 years old when she passed away, there must have been ample warning of her demise since she wrote this 5 years earlier (translation follows):
¿No es la muerte, Señor, la libertad?
¿No es el umbral de tu divina gloria?
¿No es el paso, Señor, a mejor vida?
Pues entonces ¡Oh Dios! Por qué le temo
Y me asusta la idea de que venga?¿Es que acaso, Señor, no tengo fe?
¿Es que acaso me falta la certeza
De saber que es la gloria de tu presencia
Y temo y me tortura y no descansa
Este pavor intenso de morir?¡Es que soy muy cobarde, Señor mío!
La sola idea de sufrir me aterra
Y el pensamiento del dolor me espanta!Dadme fuerzas, Señor, dadme coraje
Para no tener miedo de la muerte
Y en el último instante de mi vida
Deciros ¡Oh Señor! entre sonrisas
Ya traspongo el umbral, ya estoy contigo.
Is death not, Lord, liberty?
Is it not the threshold of Your divine glory?
Is it not the way, Lord, to better life?
Then, oh God, why do I fear it
And the idea of what will come scares me?Is it that, Lord, I have no faith?
Is it that I lack the fortitude
to know the glory of your presence
And I fear, it tortures me, & does not end
this intense terror of dying?I am such a coward, My Lord!
Just the idea of suffering terrifies me
And the thought of pain frightens me!Give me strength, Lord, give me courage
Not to be afraid of death
And in the last instant of my life
Proclaim, Oh Lord!, between smiles
I have passed the threshold, now I am with You.
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