La libertad

Freedom

La libertad

The word comes to lifeLa palabra cobra vida
when we enter the sea,cuando entramos a la mar,
the same boat that oncela misma barcaza que antes
deprived us of freedomnos privó de libertad
makes the journey back,hace el camino de vuelta,
to Iquique it will take us.a Iquique nos llevará.

In the distant exileEn el destierro lejano
a question burned:quemaba una interrogante:
what is freedom?¿cómo es la libertad?
I can't find its face.no puedo el rostro encontrarle.

Freedom is you,La libertad eres tú,
it's your eyes and your hair,son tus ojos y tu pelo,
it's the milk of children,es la leche de los niños,
it's the flag of the people,es la bandera del pueblo,
it's good morning, ma'am,es buenos días, señora,
it's the tram or the hill,es el tranvía o el cerro,
it's the hopeful song,es el canto esperanzado,
it's Neruda in the sleepless night,es Neruda en el desvelo,
(freedom is the paper,(libertad es el papel,
complement to my verses,complemento de mis versos,
it's the grandfather sitting,es el abuelo sentado,
the shovel of the miner,)la pala del pirquinero,)
it's the air, it's the flowers,es el aire, son las flores,
it's the journey back,es el viaje de regreso,
it's the wandering sailor,es el marinero errante,
or the one who stayed in Quintero,o el que se quedó en Quintero,
it's the night and it's the wine,es la noche y es el vino,
it's the freshly laid tablecloth,es el mantel recién puesto,
it's the man workinges el hombre trabajando
in the factory or at the port,en la fábrica o en el puerto,
it's the essence of books,es la esencia de los libros,
it's the whistle of the wind,es el silbido del viento,
it's not being able to say everes no poder decir nunca
that freedom has died.que la libertad ha muerto.