El Títere
Jorge Luis Borges
The Puppet
To a compadrito I sing
Who was the boss and the ornament
Of the less holy houses
In the neighborhood of Triunvirato
Elegant in dress
Somewhat bossy in manner
Black the hat and the clothes
Black the patent leather of the shoe
Like a light for handling
He marked a scrawl
On the face of the most cunning
In one leap, like a cat
Dancer and gambler
I don't know if Chinese or mulatto
He was pampered by the tenement
Which today is called a tenement
To the brown-skinned women
The love of that brave man
Who gave them such good times
Was not ungrateful
The man, as is known
Has signed a contract
With death. On every corner
The bad time is stalking him
Neither the split nor the shout
Save the candidate
Death knows, gentlemen
How to arrive with great caution
A gunshot stopped him
On Thames and Triunvirato
He moved to a neighboring neighborhood
The one from the ñato's estate
