El abuelo

The Grandfather

El abuelo

Sitting on the doorstepSentado en el quicio de puerta
The cigarette extinguished between his lipsEl pitillo apagado entre los labios
With the beret pulled down and in his handCon la boina calada y en la mano
A nervous hazel stickUna vara nerviosa de avellano
That recalls his clean and clear foreheadQue recuerda su frente limpia y clara
Perhaps the stripped springQuizá la primavera desojada
The smell of wet gunpowderEl olor de la pólvora mojada
Or the taste of coal while he chippedO el sabor del carbón mientras picaba

The grandfather was a miner, there in the mineEl abuelo fue picador, allá en la mina
And by extracting black coal, he burned his lifeY arrancando negro carbón quemó su vida

The grandfather has sat on the stairsSe ha sentado el abuelo en la escalera
To wait for the warm early morning sunA esperar el tibio sol de madrugada
His gaze fixed on the mountainLa mirada clavada en la montaña
It's his most faithful friend, never deceives himEs su amiga más fiel nunca le engaña

Trembling hand goes to the pocketTemblorosa la mano va al bolsillo
Searching for tobacco and his little bookRebuscando el tabaco y su librito

And in the end, as always, murmuringY al final como siempre murmurando
That Maria hides his tobaccoQue María le esconde su tabaco

The grandfather was a miner, there in the mineEl abuelo fue picador, allá en la mina
And by extracting black coal, he burned his lifeY arrancando negro carbón quemó su vida