AMANECER
Silvio Rodríguez (Cuba)	 
 

    Qué musa maravillosa
    habrá bajado a besarte
    y qué delicia tortuosa
    habrá sentido al dejarte.

    Tú te diste a musicarla
    con violines de ambrosía
    y a la hora de guardarla
    viste tus manos vacías.

    Pobre insensato pintor,
    paleta en mano tinta de amanecer,
    rompiendo sombras, inventando el color
    que sólo tú podías, sólo tú creías ver.

    Así voló tu memoria
    aún más allá que tus años.
    Siempre es noticia una historia
    de besos y desengaños.

    Desde que hallaste la musa
    que te llevó a la locura,
    canta tu línea inconclusa
    la misma recta sin cura. 


*****


DAWN
(English Translation)


What marvelous muse
Could have come down to kiss you
And what tortuous delight
She would have felt, on leaving you.
You decided to set her to music
With ambrosial violins
But at the moment of grasping her
You found your hands empty.
Poor foolish painter,
Palette in you hand tinged with dawn,
Breaking shadows, inventing colour
As you alone could, as you alone believed
to see.
Thus your memory flew away,
Even further than your years.
It’s always news, a story
of kisses and disillusion.
Since you found the muse
Who carried you to madness,
Sing your unfinished line -
The same, inevitably straight line.