El lazo

The Lasso

El lazo

When the sun was setting,Cuando el sol se inclinaba,
I found him,lo encontré,
in a shady ranch,en un rancho sombrío,
in Lonquén,de Lonquén,
in a poor man's ranch,en un rancho de pobres,
I found him,lo encontré,
when the sun was setting,cuando el sol se inclinaba,
in Lonquén.en Lonquén.

His hands, so old,Sus manos siendo tan viejas
were strong for braiding,eran fuertes pa' trenzar,
rough and tendereran rudas y eran tiernas
with the animal's hide.con el cuero 'el animal.

The lasso, like a snake,El lazo como serpiente
coiled around the walnut tree,se enroscaba en el nogal
and in each loop, the marky en cada lazo la huella
of his life and his bread.de su vida y de su pan.

How much time is in his handsCuánto tiempo hay en sus manos
and in his dim gaze.y en su apagado mirar.
And no one has said: it's enough,Y nadie ha dicho: está bueno,
you no longer have to work.ya no debes trabajar.

The shadows come lacingLas sombras vienen laceando
the last light of the day,la ultima luz del día,
the old man braids some versesel viejo trenza unos versos
to tie up the joy.pa' maniatar la alegría.

His lassos have traveledSus lazos han recorrido
south and north, hill and sea,sur y norte, cerro y mar,
but the old man never knewpero el viejo la distancia
how to explain the distance.nunca la supo explicar.

His life remains in the lassosSu vida deja en los lazos
clinging to the walnut tree,aferrados al nogal,
then death will comedespués llegará la muerte
and will also lace him.y también lo laceará.

What does it matter if the lasso is firmQué importa si el lazo es firme
and lasts for eternity,y dura la eternidad,
lacing through some fieldlaceando por algún campo
the old man will rest.el viejo descansará.

When the sun was setting,Cuando el sol se inclinaba,
I found him,lo encontré,
in a shady ranchen un rancho sombrío
in Lonquén,de Lonquén,
in a poor man's ranchen un rancho de pobres
I found him,lo encontré,
when the sun was settingcuando el sol se inclinaba
in Lonquén.en Lonquén.