Lamento de Caboclo

Caboclo's Lament

Lamento de Caboclo

Through a narrow trail among fernsPor um trilho estreito entre samambaia
With a straw hat, I went to the mineDe chapéu de palha eu ia pra mina
Filled the flask with the little mugEnchia o corote com a canequinha
With fresh, clean, and crystalline waterDe água fresquinha, limpa e cristalina

Then I sat on the slope besideDepois me assentava no barranco ao lado
And excited, I stayed watchingE entusiasmado eu ficava olhando
The waterfall turning the millA queda da água rodando o moinho
And in the little stream, the pestle poundingE no ribeirãozinho o monjolo malhando

In the afternoon, I left the pestle stillÀ tarde eu deixava o monjolo parado
And the pounded rice I took for dinnerE o arroz socado levava pra janta
I ran to the store, bought an envelopeCorria na venda, comprava envelope
Returned galloping on a pinto horseVoltava à galope num cavalo pampa

Took a sip, had a hearty dinnerTomava um traguinho, jantava bastante
Thought it was important to write to my relativesAchava importante escrever pros parentes
Telling them the farm was cleanContando que a roça estava limpinha
And no one had fallen illE que ninguém tinha ficado doente

But my poverty was spreadingMas minha pobreza foi contaminando
And slowly taking away this happinessE aos poucos tirando esta felicidade
Although the farm, it was the sacred cradleEmbora a roça, era o berço sagrado
I found myself forced to move to the cityMe vi obrigado a mudar pra cidade

Started eating packaged ricePassei a comer arroz de pacote
Exchanged the flask for an enameled filterTroquei o corote por filtro esmaltado
I don't even write letters, as I live aloneNem carta escrevo, pois vivo sozinho
I only see mills in the supermarketSó vejo moinho no supermercado

If I see a pestle, it's powered by enginesSe vejo monjolo, é movido a motores
Only in flower shops I see fernsSó em casas de flores vejo samambaia
But I'm proud to see daisiesMas fico orgulhoso por ver margaridas
Cleaning avenues with straw hatsLimpando avenidas de chapéu de palha

The longing I have keptA minha saudade que tenho guardada
Will be revealed if one day I returnSerá revelada se um dia eu voltar
Then I will ask forgiveness from the presentEntão pedirei perdão ao presente
To forever stay in the farmPra eternamente na roça eu ficar