Como Pajaros En El Aire
Mercedes Sosa
The Warmth of Maternal Love and Labor in 'Como Pajaros En El Aire'
The song 'Como Pajaros En El Aire' by Mercedes Sosa is a poignant tribute to the nurturing and tireless spirit of mothers, symbolized through the metaphor of a mother's hands. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a mother's hands as birds in the air, fluttering and working with grace and purpose. The hands are central to the song, representing the love, care, and hard work that mothers put into raising their children and managing their households.
Mercedes Sosa, known as 'La Negra' in Latin America, was an Argentine singer who was one of the preeminent exponents of nueva canción, a genre blending traditional folk music with social activism. Her music often carried powerful messages about justice, love, and social change. In 'Como Pajaros En El Aire,' Sosa uses the imagery of hands performing everyday tasks in the kitchen, such as baking bread, to evoke the magic in the mundane, highlighting how these simple acts of care and sustenance are foundational to life and hope.
The song also contrasts the purity and sincerity of a mother's hands with those driven by hatred, prompting listeners to reflect on the different paths one's actions can take. The hands that work with love contribute to a life-affirming cycle, much like birds that build with their labor. Sosa's lyrics and her emotive voice celebrate the maternal figure as a symbol of life, warmth, and the extraordinary within the ordinary, leaving a lasting impression of reverence for the role of mothers in our lives.