Recuerdos de infancia

At the age of ten
I was already making a living,
smoked my first cigarette,
had my first fight,
peeked through the keyhole
at a heavenly cousin,
sang the anthem
with excitement and joy,
and learned traditional dances in Llay-Llay,
Do you remember, Mrs. Maria?

Before turning twelve
I had my little savings.
Bought new underwear
for the awaited day
when the greatest mystery
is solved in twenty seconds
with the brunette from the farm
among tomatoes and onions,
I gave her a jewel
with all the love in the world.

Everything happened in the streets,
never knew the clock,
waking up was the party,
going out to soak up the sun,
asking for bread or stealing flowers,
hanging out on the buses,
picking up cigarette butts
that the rich were throwing away,
or when someone would say
pipe dream...

Juan went to the seminary,
Alberto went to sea,
Margarita studied law,
Pedro went to work in the fields,
some died by the bullet,
Eugenio is in Canada,
Carmencita has a house
with girls to dance with,
siblings, childhood dreams,
I will never forget them.

What will become of those friends,
never saw them again,
some wanted to be magicians,
telegraph operators or drivers.
Surely they have changed
but never in essence,
I'm almost 50
and my soul remains the same,
because the one born straight
no one can bend.