Milonga de Manuel Flores

The song "Milonga de Manuel Flores" by Jorge Luis Borges, who is more widely known as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century rather than a musician, is a poignant reflection on the inevitability of death and the human condition. The lyrics are presented as the inner monologue of a man facing his imminent demise, contemplating the nature of life and death with a mixture of resignation and wonder.

The repeated lines about the fever and sweat of agony contrasted with the protagonist's own fate of dying by bullets at dawn suggest a certain stoicism. Manuel Flores accepts death as a common currency, an experience as universal as life itself. The mention of 'four bullets' indicates a violent end, possibly hinting at a duel or execution. Borges's character reflects on the philosophical idea that to die is simply a part of living, a sentiment echoed by the wise Merlin's words that to be born is to have already begun the process of dying.

Despite this acceptance, there is a palpable sense of loss as Manuel Flores bids farewell to life, 'that thing so usual, so sweet and so known.' The lyrics explore the intimate and personal experience of confronting one's mortality. The act of looking at one's hand and seeing it as if it were foreign suggests a disconnection between the self and the body as death approaches. The song ends with a return to the opening lines, reinforcing the cyclical nature of life and the universal experience of death, which awaits us all.