La Zafrera

The Harvest

La Zafrera

The sun wakes up in the sugarcaneEl sol despierta en la zafra
the frost of the plantation,la escarcha del cañaveral,
and in the sweet dew of the watery en el dulce rocío del agua
the wind comes down to sing,baja el viento a cantar,
when the harvest worker's armcuando el brazo zafrero
topples the dark taste of the workday.derriba el oscuro sabor del jornal.

The day ignites in the caneEl día enciende en la caña
the green of my Tucumán,lo verde de mi Tucumán,
and in the air of a wandering whistley en el aire de un silbo andariego
the morning goes awayla mañana se va
to play with the monkeya jugar con el chango
that I left waiting there in Famaillá.que dejé esperando allá en Famaillá.

When the harvest moonCuando la luna zafrera
burns in the tents from dreaming so much,se queme en las carpas de tanto soñar,
it will rise through the blood of a screamsubirá por la sangre de un grito
its drum to beat,su tambor a golpear,
so that the bitter molasses of the sugarcanepa' que se haga esperanza
becomes hope.el amargo almíbar del cañaveral.

The metal light of the macheteLa luz metal del machete
singing through the stalks,cantando por los tallos va,
and in the dull crunch of the carty en el sordo crujido del carro
a thrush agonizes,agoniza un zorzal,
when it releases the roadcuando suelta el camino
its thirsty tongue for the sandy soil.su lengua sedienta por el arenal.

The dark afternoon of sugarLa tarde oscura de azúcar
is already fading in the orange grove,se apaga ya en el naranjal,
and in the fruity shadow of the aromay en la sombra frutal del aroma
my Tucumán dreamssueña mi Tucumán
because inside its night,porque adentro e'su noche,
I start singing my harvest of zamba.mi zafra de zamba me pongo a cantar.