La Novia Ausente
A veces repaso las horas aquellas
cuando era estudiante y tu eras la amada
que con tus sonrisas repartias estrellas
a todos los mozos de aquella barriada.
Ah! las noches tibias, Ah! la fantasia
de nuestra veintena de abriles felices,
cuando solamente tu risa se oia
y yo no tenia mis cabellos grises.
Ibamos del brazo y tu suspirabas
porque muy cerquita te decia, "Mi bien,
ves como la luna se enreda en los pinos
y su luz de plata te besa en la sien?
Al raro conjuro de noche y reseda
temblaban las hojas del parque también
y tu me pedias que te recitara
esta "sonatina" que soño Rubén:
(recitado)
"La princesa esta triste! Que tendra la princesa?
Los suspiros se escapan de su boca de fresa
que ha perdido la risa, que ha perdido el color.
La princesa esta palida en su silla de oro,
esta mudo el teclado de su clave sonoro
y en mi vaso, olvidada, se desmaya una flor.
Que duendes lograron lo que ya no existe?
Que mano huesuda fue hilando mis males?
Yque pena altiva hoy me ha hecho tan triste
triste como el eco de las catedrales?
Ah! ya se, ya se. Fue la novia ausente
aquella que, cuando estudiante, me amaba.
Que al morir, un beso le deje en la frente
porque estaba fria, porque me dejaba.
The Absent Girlfriend
Sometimes I review those hours
when I was a student and you were the beloved
who with your smiles scattered stars
to all the young men of that neighborhood.
Ah! the warm nights, Ah! the fantasy
of our happy twenties,
when only your laughter was heard
and I didn't have my gray hair.
We walked arm in arm and you sighed
because very close I said, 'My dear,
see how the moon gets tangled in the pines
and its silver light kisses your temple?
To the rare spell of night and reseda
the park leaves trembled too
and you asked me to recite to you
this 'sonnet' that Rubén dreamed of:
(spoken)
'The princess is sad! What does the princess have?
Sighs escape from her strawberry mouth
that has lost its laughter, that has lost its color.
The princess is pale on her golden chair,
the keyboard of her sonorous key is silent
and in my glass, forgotten, a flower faints.
What elves achieved what no longer exists?
What bony hand was spinning my woes?
And what proud sorrow today has made me so sad
sad like the echo of cathedrals?
Ah! I know, I know. It was the absent girlfriend
the one who, when I was a student, loved me.
That when she died, I left a kiss on her forehead
because she was cold, because she was leaving.