El Payaso

The Clown

El Payaso

He was able to make a child laugh endlessly,Era capaz de hacer a un niño reír sin parar,
had such brilliant ideas, only he could do it.tenía ocurrencias tan geniales, solo él era capaz.
His face painted in colors and a violin in his hand,La cara pintada de colores y en la mano un violín,
which played more or less but made people laugh.que sonaba más o menos pero hacía reír.
And the truth is, deep down he was unhappy,Y el caso es que en el fondo era un infeliz,
he found it ridiculous to paint his nose,le parecía ridículo pintarse la nariz,
a somersault looked much betterlucía mucho más un salto mortal
and he wanted to be a tightrope walkery él quería ser equilibrista
and hear ovations in the ringy oír sobre la pista ovaciones
instead of so much laughter.en vez de tanto reír.

He never knew how to accept his position, without realizingNunca supo asumir su posición, sin darse cuenta
that he made so many happy in his role as Cinderella.que hacía feliz a tantos en su papel de cenicienta.
That if one day he was missing from the circus, it would come to an endQue si un día faltase en el circo llegaría a su fin
that it would never be the same without his violin.que nunca sería el mismo sin su violín.
But he was still determined to be unhappy,Pero él seguía empeñado en ser infeliz,
he felt so ridiculous with his nose painted,se veía tan ridículo pintada la nariz,
he still dreamed of the trapeze,soñaba todavía con el trapecio,
he pretended to be a tightrope walkerpretendía ser equilibrista
and hear ovations in the ringy oír sobre la pista ovaciones
instead of so much laughter.en vez de tanto reír.

It was a white, wintry morning, after rehearsal,Fue una mañana blanca, invernal, tras el ensayo,
he couldn't resist it anymore, he climbed onto the crossbar,no pudo resistirlo mas, se subió en el travesaño,
and seeing himself up highy al verse en la altura
he felt vertigo rise to his throat,sintió subirle el vértigo hasta la nuez,
and they hadn't put up the safety nets the last time...y no habían puesto mallas la ultima vez...
he barely felt anything when he fell,apenas sintió nada cuando cayó,
the tamer, who was returning, was the first to see him.el domador, que regresaba, fue el primero que le vió.
He managed to save his life and a month later they told him:Logro salvar la vida y un mes más tarde le dijeron:
"It's all over, the circus has closed,"Todo ha terminado, el circo ha cerrado,
no more children came to the show."ya no venían niños a la función."

Today he lives retired in some place, on the outskirts,Hoy vive retirado en algún lugar, en las afueras,
stuck day and night to his wheelchair,pegado día y noche a su silla de ruedas,
it seems he has finally accepted himself,parece que ha terminado aceptándose por fin,
that sometimes he even plays the violin.que incluso algunas veces toca el violín.
Ten children visit him and make him happy,Diez niños le visitan y le hacen feliz,
when he sees them coming from afar, he paints his nose.cuando les ve llegar a lo lejos, se pinta la nariz.
And when someone mocks him with disdain, he replies:Y cuando alguno se burla con desprecio, él contesta:
"I would be a wretch, I would be the guilty one,"Sería un miserable, sería yo el culpable,
if I didn't fulfill the mission I received.si no cumpliese la misión que recibí.
Because even though I was a failure,Porque aunque fui un fracaso,
I am a professional clown,soy de profesión payaso,
don't judge me badly, God made me this way.no me juzgues mal, Dios me hizo así".