Alfonsina y El Mar

On the soft sand that the sea licks
Her little footprint never returns
A path only of sorrow and silence arrived
To the deep water
A path only of silent sorrows arrived
To the foam

God knows what anguish accompanied you
What old pains silenced your voice
To lay you down lulled by the song of the
Seashells
The song that sings in the dark depths of the sea
The seashell

You're leaving, Alfonsina, with your loneliness
What new poems did you go to seek?
An ancient voice of wind and salt
Is breaking your soul and taking it
And you go there as if in dreams
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed in sea

Five little mermaids will take you
Through paths of algae and coral
And phosphorescent seahorses will
Dance around you
And the inhabitants of the water will play
Soon by your side

Lower the lamp a little more
Let me sleep, nurse, in peace
And if he calls, don't tell him I'm here
Tell him Alfonsina isn't coming back
And if he calls, never tell him I'm here
Say that I'm gone

You're leaving, Alfonsina, with your loneliness
What new poems did you go to seek?
An ancient voice of wind and salt
Is breaking your soul and taking it
And you go there as if in dreams
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed in sea