Cruz de Palo

Wooden Cross

Cruz de Palo

Close to the streamJuntito al arroyo
Kissed by the willowsBesao por los sauces
And filled with flowersY poblao de flores
Of grass and lightDe pasto y de luz
Without letters, ribbonsSin letras, crespones
Or carved namesNi nombres tallados
Two wooden sticksSe alzan junto a un sauce
Rise next to a willowDos palos en cruz
A graveUna sepultura
Still surrounded by thistlesQue entuavia el cardo
Could not fence itNo pudo cercarla
And where the hootY en donde el chus-chus
Of some owlDe alguna lechuza
Is heard ominouslySe escucha agorera
On the summitSobre la cimera
Of that old crossDe esa vieja cruz

The willow weeps for itEl sauce le llora
An Ave MariaUn Ave María
The oxherd with eachEl boyero en cada
Whistle he givesChiflido que da
Perhaps wants toAcaso le quiere
Say a blessed prayerRezar un bendito
Along with the complaintsJunto con las quejas
That the mockingbird singsQue entona el sabía
The oldest ones sayDicen los más viejos
Crossing themselvesHaciéndose cruces
That passing by at nightQue al pasar de noche
Through that placePor aquel lugar
They hear the complaintsOyen que se quejan
Of the nightjarsLos ñacurutuces
In such a fierce wayDe un modo tan fiero
That it even makes them cryQue hasta hace llorar

And on bad nightsY en las noches malas
When the wind blowsCuando suena el viento
Its vague lamentSu vago lamento
Through the willow grovePor el saucedal
By the wooden crossPor la cruz de palo
A light walksUna luz camina
That runs and fliesQue corre y que vuela
Through the grasslandPor el pastizal
On a day of the deadPa un día de difuntos
From several years agoDe hace varios años
A girl approachedSe acerco una moza
Next to the crossJuntito a la cruz
Her head wrappedLa cabeza envuelta
In a black shawlEn negro rebozo
Her tearful eyesLos ojos llorosos
Sad and without lightTristes y sin luz
How cold, damnQue frío, canejo
The dead must feelSentirán los muertos
For that girlPues la moza aquella
Knelt before themSe le arrodillo
Cried as much as she wantedLloro cuanto quiso
Kissed the graveBesuqueo la tumba
Said: See you soonLe dijo: Hasta pronto
But she never returnedPero no volvió