La Novia Ausente

The Absent Girlfriend

La Novia Ausente

Sometimes I review those hoursA veces repaso las horas aquellas
when I was a student and you were the belovedcuando era estudiante y tu eras la amada
who with your smiles scattered starsque con tus sonrisas repartias estrellas
to all the young men of that neighborhood.a todos los mozos de aquella barriada.

Ah! the warm nights, Ah! the fantasyAh! las noches tibias, Ah! la fantasia
of our happy twenties,de nuestra veintena de abriles felices,
when only your laughter was heardcuando solamente tu risa se oia
and I didn't have my gray hair.y yo no tenia mis cabellos grises.

We walked arm in arm and you sighedIbamos del brazo y tu suspirabas
because very close I said, 'My dear,porque muy cerquita te decia, "Mi bien,
see how the moon gets tangled in the pinesves como la luna se enreda en los pinos
and its silver light kisses your temple?y su luz de plata te besa en la sien?

To the rare spell of night and resedaAl raro conjuro de noche y reseda
the park leaves trembled tootemblaban las hojas del parque también
and you asked me to recite to youy tu me pedias que te recitara
this 'sonnet' that Rubén dreamed of:esta "sonatina" que soño Rubén:

(spoken)(recitado)

'The princess is sad! What does the princess have?"La princesa esta triste! Que tendra la princesa?
Sighs escape from her strawberry mouthLos suspiros se escapan de su boca de fresa
that has lost its laughter, that has lost its color.que ha perdido la risa, que ha perdido el color.
The princess is pale on her golden chair,La princesa esta palida en su silla de oro,
the keyboard of her sonorous key is silentesta mudo el teclado de su clave sonoro
and in my glass, forgotten, a flower faints.y en mi vaso, olvidada, se desmaya una flor.
What elves achieved what no longer exists?Que duendes lograron lo que ya no existe?
What bony hand was spinning my woes?Que mano huesuda fue hilando mis males?
And what proud sorrow today has made me so sadYque pena altiva hoy me ha hecho tan triste
sad like the echo of cathedrals?triste como el eco de las catedrales?

Ah! I know, I know. It was the absent girlfriendAh! ya se, ya se. Fue la novia ausente
the one who, when I was a student, loved me.aquella que, cuando estudiante, me amaba.
That when she died, I left a kiss on her foreheadQue al morir, un beso le deje en la frente
because she was cold, because she was leaving.porque estaba fria, porque me dejaba.