Canción Bolivariana

Bolivarian Song

Bolívar Bolivarian
is not a dead thought
nor much less a saint
to light a candle for him

A child from Venezuela
had an encounter with him
it may be imaginary
but it could have happened

And they talked about this
Bolívar and the kid
under a little tree
that was saved from the fire
under a little tree
that was saved from the fire

Child: 'It's not true Simón Bolívar
that when you made your historic oath
on Monte Sacro
you didn't think that your arm
would feel tired today
from so many who have hung themselves
to shield themselves in your name.'

Bolívar: 'There is reason in what you say
I swore in front of Simón Rodríguez
to liberate my homeland
and perhaps out of innocence
I didn't dream of it being governed
by unworthy of my heritage.'

Child: 'They try to take the memory from the people
that's why to the gringo Henry Clay
who insulted you in life and death
they erected a statue in our Homeland
and the Latin American doctrine
that you refined in your Jamaica letter
has diminished its essence
patriotic and liberating,

ah! if you could see the fate
of the peoples your sword liberated
their greatest freedom
is to die of hunger
trampled by the northern boot
that you warned us about.'

Bolívar: 'The United States seem destined
by Providence to plague America
with miseries in the name of freedom.'

Child: 'Today we turn to your visionary idea
to the anti-imperialist thought of your forehead,
excuse me for addressing you informally
but to be my Liberator
you had to first be my friend
great captain sailing towards Angostura
with your face wet by the Father River
never in the history of the Homeland
were there so many blots
on a written paper
and the love for the people
taken to such heights.'

And Bolívar smiled
and full of understanding
his heart jumped
at what he was hearing.

And looking straight at the child
the schoolboy without a school
he said: Take my spurs
we have to ride again
you go from town to town
to awaken the people
to raise their heads higher and higher
to deserve the glory
of making history again
freeing the oppressed
because if the people are asleep
they will never win glory.'

Child: 'Bolívar, in Birongo
there in Barlovento
there's a little square with your name
and they forbid visiting it without a shirt
so you can see that our laws
are dictated by those in tails and suits
against the shirtless ones.'

Bolívar: '... and they forget that I wore a borrowed shirt
when I was in Santa Marta...'

Child: 'And the worst part is that to my people
they are already leaving them without Bolívar.'

Bolívar: 'Are they leaving them without money, kid?'

Child: 'Without consciousness, Liberator, without consciousness.
The people in their deception
believe that the high bourgeoisie
will bring you flowers to the National Pantheon
every anniversary of your death.'

Bolívar: 'So what are they going for, little compatriot?'

Child: 'To make sure you are well and truly dead
Liberator, Well and truly dead.'

And Bolívar smiled
and full of understanding
his heart jumped
at what he was hearing.

Bolívar: 'The result is clear
the bourgeoisie is the daughter of the colony and vice versa
oppression is gathered in a mass
under a single banner
if the struggle for freedom disperses
there will be no victory in the fight'

Together: 'if the struggle disperses
there will be no popular victory in the fight.'

Bolívar Bolivarian
is not a dead thought
nor much less a saint
to light a candle for him
A child from Venezuela
had an encounter with him
hear his spurs ringing
he's riding again,
hear his spurs ringing
he's riding again.