El Forastero

The Stranger

El Forastero

From the plain he comesQue de la llanura viene
says the fearful stride:lo dice el tranco miedoso:
he asks one foot for permissiona un pie le pide permiso
to lift the otherpara levantar el otro
and the rough roady entero lo descompone,
breaks him apart entirely.el camino pedregoso.

They told him the litre tree casts bad shadowQue el litre da mala sombra
when he was youngle dijeron cuando mozo
and he doesn't lean on any treey a ningún árbol se arrima
unless it shades with anothersi no sombrea con otro,
he finds malicious intenthalla maligna intención
even in the merciful willow.hasta en el sauce piadoso.

The mountain dwellers shout at himLos montañeses le gritan
at the last bend:en el último recodo:
mountain pathscaminos de la montaña
belong to God and us.son de Dios y de nosotros.

The voice of the wind that rushesVoz del viento que atropella
he hears with closed eyesoye cerrando los ojos
and makes a cross of sighsy hace una cruz de suspiros
for his resting plainpor su llanura en reposo
when the whirlwind passescuando pasa el remolino
of paper and stone and dust.de papel y piedra y polvo.

I say the tall, resonant pinesDigo que cantan de noche
sing at night.los altos pinos sonoros.
The stranger knew nothingNada supo el forastero
of the short, fearful stridedel corto tranco miedoso
and he leaves with permissiony se va con el permiso
from one foot to lift the other.de un pie para alzar el otro.