La Lora

The Parrot

La Lora

From my soul, when I see you,De mi alma brotan al verte,
poor and aged light,luz pobre y envejecida,
a thousand memories of your lifemil recuerdos de tu vida
like a sweet illusion.como una dulce ilusión.
When we played togetherCuando jugábamos juntitos
in the courtyard of the tenementen el patio del conventillo
you asked me for the ringme pediste el anillo
to swear our love.pa' jurarnos nuestro amor.

I remember that little dressRecuerdo aquel vestidito
that hugged your figure,que realzaba tu figura,
tight at the waist,ajustado en la cintura
the little skirt of percale,la pollerita de percal,
the black silk stockings,las medias negras de seda
the shiny little shoeslos flamantes zapatitos
and even the short stepsy hasta los pasos cortitos
you took while walking.que dabas al caminar.

Back then, only tangosEntonces sólo los tangos
were played by the organ grinderlos tocaba el organillo
and in the tenement courtyardy en el patio del conventillo
we knew how to dance them.los sabíamos bailar.
There were no flophouses,No existían garçonier,
no cars, no morphine,no había autos, ni morfina,
or ether, or cocaine,ni éter, ni cocaína,
or whiskey, or cabaret.ni whisky, ni cabaret.