Alfonsina Y El Mar

On the soft sand that the sea licks
her little footprint never returns
A path only of sorrow and silence
came to the deep water
A path only of silent sorrows
came to the foam

God knows what anguish accompanied you
what old pains your voice silenced
To lay you down lulled
to the song of the seashells
The song that sings at the bottom
of the dark 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
cracks your soul and is taking it away
And you go there as in dreams
asleep, Alfonsina, dressed in sea

Five little mermaids will take you
along 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 for me
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 have gone

You're leaving, Alfonsina, with your loneliness
what new poems did you go to seek?
An ancient voice of wind and salt
cracks your soul and is taking it away
And you go there as in dreams
asleep, Alfonsina, dressed in sea