Relato

If you contemplate the prairie and its corners
you will see the dryness of silence,
the ground without miracles and empty Offices,
like the last desert.

And if you observe the prairie and imagine it
in the times of the Saltpeter Industry
you will see the woman and the dim fire,
the faceless worker, the sad child.

You will also see the lifeless hut,
the candle that illuminated their lack,
some corrugated iron sheets for walls
and for a bed, the sacks and the earth.

You will also see humiliating punishments,
the stocks where they fixed the worker
for days and days under the sun;
it didn't matter if in the end they were dying.

The worker's fault, many times,
was the proud pain they showed.
Impotent rebellion, what insolence!
The rich boss's law is sacred.

You will also see the payment they received.
They didn't see money, only tokens;
one for each day worked,
and that was exchanged for food.

Be careful buying elsewhere!
In no way could you do it
even if things were cheaper.
The Office had forbidden it.
The purchasing power of that token
had been decreasing over time
but they kept paying the same wage.
Not for anything in the world an increase.

If you contemplate the prairie and its corners
you will see the dryness of silence.
And if you observe the prairie as it was
you will feel, shattered, the laments.