El pueblito estaba lleno, de personas forasteras,
los caudillos desplegaban lo más rudo de su acción,
arengando a los paisanos, de ganar las elecciones
por la plata, por la tumba, por el voto o el facón.
Y al instante que cruzaban desfilando los contrarios
un paisano gritó ¡viva! y al caudillo mencionó;
y los otros respondieron, sepultando sus puñales
en el cuerpo valeroso del paisano que gritó.

Un viejito lentamente, se quitó el sombrero negro;
estiró las piernas tibias del paisano que cayó,
lo besó con toda su alma, puso un cristo entre sus dedos
y goteando lagrimones, entre dientes murmuró:
'Pobre m'hijo quién diría que por noble y por valiente
pagaría con su vida el sostén de una opinión,
por no hacerme caso, m'hijo: se lo dije tantas veces...
no haga juicio a los discursos del Doctor ni del patrón.

Hace frío, ¿verdad, m'hijo? (ya se está poniendo duro)
tápese con este poncho y pa' siempre yebelo;
es el mesmo poncho pampa, que en su cuna cuando chico
muchas veces, hijo mío... muchas veces lo tapó.
Yo, viá dir al campo santo, y a la par de su agüelita,
con su daga y con mis uñas una fosa voy a abrir,
y, a su pobre madrecita, a su pobre madrecita,
le dirá que usted se ha ido... que muy pronto va a venir.

A las doce de la noche, llegó el viejo a su ranchito
y con mucho disimulo a su vieja acarició:
y le dijo tiernamente: su cachorro se ha ido lejos,
se arregló con una tropa; ¡le di el poncho y me besó!
Y aura vieja por las dudas, como el viaje es algo largo
priéndale unas cuantas velas, por si acaso nada más,
arrodiyesé y le reza... pa' que Dios no lo abandone...
y suplique por las almas... que precisan luz y paz.

English translation

The village was full of strangers,
the caudillos were displaying the roughest of their action,
haranguing the countrymen, of winning the elections
by the silver, by the grave, by the vote or by the facon.
And at the moment that the opposing parties were parading across the street
a countryman shouted ¡viva! and mentioned the caudillo;
and the others responded, burying their daggers
in the valiant body of the countryman who shouted.

An old man slowly took off his black hat;
stretched out the warm legs of the fallen paisano,
kissed him with all his soul, placed a christ between his fingers
and dripping tears, between his teeth he murmured:
'Poor m'son who would have thought that for noble and for brave
would pay with his life the support of an opinion,
for not paying attention to me, my son: I told you so many times...
do not judge the speeches of the Doctor or the boss.

It's cold, isn't it, my son? (it's already getting hard)
cover yourself with this poncho and keep it on forever;
it is the same pampa poncho, that in your cradle when you were a boy
many times, my son... many times it covered him.
I, I went to the holy field, and at the side of his agüelita,
with his dagger and with my nails I will open a grave,
and, to his poor little mother, to his poor little mother,..,
he will tell her that you have gone... that very soon you will come.

At twelve o'clock at night, the old man arrived at his little house
and with much dissimulation he caressed his old lady:
and tenderly said to her: your puppy has gone far away,
he's gone far away, he's got a troop; I gave him the poncho and he kissed me!
And aura old woman just in case, as the journey is a long one
I'll bind a few candles, just in case nothing else,
kneel down and pray to him... so that God doesn't abandon him...
and pray for the souls... who need light and peace.