Anoche Me Cantó El Chuncho

(Sung)
Last night the chuncho sang to me
As he passed by your door
You will die within a year
My mother-in-law happily shouted at me
While fixing her veil
And heading towards the church.

(Recited)
Luckily, I was coming from the woods
I slung the shotgun over my shoulder
And sent the chuncho to announce death
To his own grandmother
Later, I felt it when I saw
The bird on the ground
The poor creature had
To pay for others' sins
Because the one I should have shot down from the pear tree
Out of his arrogance
Was that old evil-blooded woman
That the devil in an unlucky hour
In the growing field of our home
Cast a spell to cut off our water
And ruin our harvest.

(Sung)
Since you are a chip
Off that branch, rod, and brow
You must be getting ready
To wear black clothes
And thinking about what you'll do
As a young widow with your belongings
And with what will remain
Of my things and my lands.

(Recited)
Don't hold back on my account.

(Sung)
Dream asleep or awake.

(Recited)
But brace yourself afterwards.

(Sung)
To withstand the shock.

(Recited)
I have plenty of life left.

(Sung)
Despite the chuncho and the old woman.

(Recited)
And even if it pleases you
And I were to die right now.

(Sung)
Miracles and for mourning
That was enough with my inheritance.

(Recited)
So you can speak with reason
Until your tongue is paralyzed
Go pickle
These new little onions
Yesterday I had spit-roasted lamb
The last of my sheep
The hens and turkeys
Ended up in the stew
Together with the seeds
I had saved for planting
I drank the whole vineyard
And even the black grapevine
I sold all the lands poorly
For whatever came my way
To gamble the money
Give it away and squander it.

(Sung)
All I have left in a bundle
Is the clothes on my back
My saddle and my horse
My knife and my shotgun.

(Recited)
A portrait of my mother
And a bit of loose change
An affection turned into a lump
A stone for a heart
And in the regrowth of your kisses
I go out feeling great
That burns between my eyelashes
And freezes on my lips.

(Sung)
Although you were in my life
Like a bird of ill omen
I can't cross you
With shots from my shotgun.

(Recited)
But as one who is far away
It's as if you didn't exist
I'm going to kill your memory
With bullets of absence
For that, I'm going to distance myself
Turning my back on my star
In search of other pastures
Where I can release my sadness
But before leaving tomorrow
Forever and without return
To not leave any traces
Where sorrows peck
At dawn, I'm going to set fire
To the old house
To the yard, to the pigsties
To the stable and the orchard
And even if my soul burns
And my memories with it
If God wanted to exchange them
For a handful of firewood.

(Sung)
The day you become a widow.

(Recited)
You won't be the one to know.

(Sung)
And the chuncho who announces it to you.

(Recited)
Regards from my shotgun.

(Sung)
The chuncho who announces it to you.

(Recited)
Regards from my shotgun.