De Vida e Tempo

Of Life and Time

De Vida e Tempo

When I tip my hat over my neckQuando tapeio o meu sombreiro sobre a nuca
My heart pokes me, beats hard like a bellO coração me cutuca, bate forte igual cincerro
I feel the blood pulsing stronger in my veinsSinto que o sangue pulsa mais forte nas veias
It seems that the shadow of Martin Fierro surrounds meParece que me arrodeia o assombro de Martin Fierro

I grew up free, running through the marshMe criei solto, correndo pelo banhado
Yelling loudly with the cattle, in the days of rough workGritando forte com o gado, nos dias de lida bruta
In the batoví, I lost dreams and sorrowsNo batoví, extraviei sonhos e mágoas
That were forgotten with the waters, from the reculuta floodsQue se olvidaram com as águas, das cheias do reculuta

(I cut paths in culatras and fiadores(Cortei caminhos em culatras e fiadores
Raising feathers and loves, in a wide cry of comeErguendo penas e amores, num grito largo de venha
I roamed memories on calm nightsRondei recuerdos em noites de calmarias
Acclimating winters in my southern pampa)Aclimatando invernias na minha pampa surenha)

I carry in my belongings a wrapped poncho and longingTrago nos tentos poncho emalado e saudade
From a time that was true and reblooms with each dawnDe um tempo que foi verdade e a cada aurora rebrota
Life goes by and bad luck softensA vida passa e a mala suerte se adoça
After the spur leaves a mark on the boot's counterDepois que a espora faz mossa no contra forte da bota

I was born in a ranch, thatched from Santa FéNasci num rancho, quinchado de Santa Fé
I am of reed and water hyacinth, caraguatá and japecangaSou de junco e aguapé, caraguatá e japecanga
I am from Rio Grande, my homeland portrays the imageSou do Rio Grande, meu pago retrata a estampa
Of a bull that sharpens its horn in the creek's hollowsDe touro que afia a guampa nos cacurutos da sanga