Alguien le dice al tango
Tango que he visto bailar
contra un ocaso amarillo
por quienes eran capaces
de otro baile, el del cuchillo.
Tango de aquel Maldonado
con menos agua que barro,
tango silbado al pasar
desde el pescante del carro.
Despreocupado y zafado,
siempre mirabas de frente.
Tango que fuiste la dicha
de ser hombre y ser valiente.
Tango que fuiste feliz,
como yo también lo he sido,
según me cuenta el recuerdo;
el recuerdo fue el olvido.
Desde ese ayer, ¡cuántas cosas
a los dos nos han pasado!
Las partidas y el pesar
de amar y no ser amado.
Yo habré muerto y seguirás
orillando nuestra vida.
Buenos Aires no te olvida,
tango que fuiste y serás.
Tango that I have seen danced
against a yellow sunset
for those were capable
of other dance, of that of the knife.
Tango of that Maldonado
with less water than mud,
tango whistled to pass
from the driver’s seat of a car.
Carefree and cheeky,
always you should look straight ahead.
Tango that became to you happiness
to be a man, to be courageous.
Tango that you went to to be happy.
as I also have done.
according to what the memory tells me;
the memory that was the oblivion.
After this yesterday, how many
things have happened to the two of us!
The fissures and sorrow
of loving and not being loved.
I would be dead and I would continue
Passing over our life.
Buenos Aires I don’t forget you.
Tango that went and will be.
Lyrics: Jorge Luis Borges
Translation: Marissa Colón-Margolies