Cantos del Sur (poema)

Southern Songs (poem)

Cantos del Sur (poema)

He walked from place to place, and stayed in noneAnduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo
A stranger everywhere, destiny of a troubadourforastero en todas partes, destino de trovador.
One day he asked the wind to make him a singerUn dia le pidio al viento que lo hiciera payador
And the old southern wind taught him its secretsy el viejo viento surero los secretos le enseño,
And filled his guitar with songs in 'Mi' minory le lleno la guitarrra de cantos en "Mi" menor.

Under the lonely ombu tree, like a gaucho he meditatedBajo el ombu solitario como un gaucho medito;
He tested his voice in the Cifra, the Strum ignitedprobo su voz en la Cifra, el Rasguido se encendio';
In the Southern Milonga he dealt with serious mattersen la Milonga Surera serios asuntos trato',
And raising his poncho and guitar from his ranch he lefty alzando poncho y viguela de su rancho se alejo',
And he walked from place to place, and stayed in noney anduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo'.

His fame grew from Dorrego to RealicoLe fue creciendo la fama de Dorrego a Realico',
From Bahia to Santa Rosa; from Bragado to Pehuajode Bahia a Santa Rosa; del Bragado al Pehuajo',
He passed through Pergamino, back in twenty-twopaso por el Pergamino, alla por el veintidos,
Crossed the Entre Rios land towards Huayquillarocruzo la tierra entrerriana con rumbo al Huayquillaro',
Maybe to smoke a chala under the blooming ceibostal vez pa' pitarse un chala bajo los ceibos en flor,
And he walked from place to place, and stayed in noney anduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo'.

After so much challenging fate, fate caught up with himTanto torearlo al destino, el destino lo "pialo'".
He returned seeking the pampas, like a troubadour returnsVolvia buscando pampa, como vuelve un trovador,
Contemplating the grasses, in those fields of Godcontemplando las gramillas, por esos campos de Dios,
He returned seeking the pampas, like a troubadour returnsvolvia buscando pampa, como vuelve un trovador,
Rich in lovely riches: guitar, friends, songrico de lindas riquezas: guitarra, amigos, cancion.
In the middle of the road his heart grew tiredEn la mitad del camino se le canso' el corazon
And suddenly entered the silence, and the silence covered himy entro de golpe al silencio, y el silencio lo tapo'.

They mentioned him for a while, the Peon, the DockworkerLo mentaron algun tiempo el Peon, el Estibador,
The Man of Seven Trades, the countrymen from the Frontonel Hombre de Siete Oficios, los paisanos del Fronton,
And as life has its law and its nonsensey como la vida tiene su ley y su sinrazon,
Forgetting started to arrive, and forgetting covered himle fue llegando el olvido, y el olvido lo tapo'.

His name was Luis Acosta Garcia, the singerDon Luis Acosta Garcia se llamaba el payador,
Man born in Dorrego and who traveled a lothombre nacido en Dorrego y que mucho trajino',
Man of lovely riches: guitar, friends, songHombre de lindas riquezas: guitarra, amigos, cancion
Luis Acosta Garcia: a nice name for a singer!Don Luis Acosta Garcia: lindo nombre pa' un cantor!
Who walked from place to place and stayed in noneque anduvo de pago en pago y en ninguno se quedo'.