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Borges, Jorge Luis: Milonga of Albornoz (Milonga de Albornoz in English)

Portre of Borges, Jorge Luis

Milonga de Albornoz (Spanish)

Alguien ya contó los días.
Alguien ya sabe la hora.
Alguien para Quien no hay
ni premuras ni demora.

Albornoz pasa silbando
una milonga entrerriana;
bajo el ala del chambergo
sus ojos ven la mañana.

La mañana de este día
del ochocientos noventa;
en el bajo del Retiro
ya le han perdido la cuenta

de amores y de trucadas
hasta el alba y de entreveros
a fierro con los sargentos,
con propios y forasteros.

Se la tienen bien jurada
más de un taura y más de un pillo;
en una esquina del sur
lo está esperando un cuchillo.

No un cuchillo sino tres
antes de clarear el día,
se le vinieron encima
y el hombre se defendía.

Un acero entró en el pecho,
ni se le movió la cara;
Alejo Albornoz murió
como si no le importara.

Pienso que le gustaría
saber que hoy anda su historia
en una milonga. El tiempo
es olvido y es memoria.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://spanishpoems.blogspot.hu

Milonga of Albornoz (English)

Someone already counted the days, 
Someone already knows the hour, 
Someone with Whom there are 
Neither premotions nor demur. 

Albornoz walks by whistling 
An Entre Ríos milonga; 
Under the brim of his chambergo 
His eyes see the morning, 

The morning of this day 
Of eighteen-hundred ninety; 
Down in the Retiro 
They've already stopped counting 

Loves and cardgames 
Till dawn and tangles 
Of iron with sergeants, 
Kith and strangers. 

Well-sworn amongst them are 
More than one tough and more than one rogue; 
At a streetcorner on the Southside 
A knife is waiting for him. 

Not one knife but three, 
Before day's lightening, 
They were all on top of him 
And the man was himself defending. 

Somebody's steel entered his chest, 
Nor did his face once move; 
Alejo Albornoz died 
As if it was nothing at all to him. 

I think that he would like 
To know presently his story 
Continues in a milonga. Time 
Is oblivion and memory.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://spanishpoems.blogspot.hu

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