Pajarillo

Maquillaje a granel usaba a diario

She used makeup in bulk daily

y vendia la piel a precio caro,

and sold her skin at a high price,

de las ocho a las diez en una esquina,

from eight to ten on a corner,

era joven y piel, era rosa y espina.

she was young and skin, she was rose and thorn.

Se llamaba ... no sé ... nunca lo supe,

Her name was... I don't know... I never knew,

nunca le pregunté, nunca dispuse

never asked her, never had

de su tiempo y su piel, era un mocoso

time for her and her skin, she was a kid,

y tan solo le miré de pozo en pozo.

and only looked at her from well to well.

Y era un pajarillo de blancas alas,

And she was a little bird with white wings,

de balcón en balcón, de plaza en plaza,

from balcony to balcony, from square to square,

vendedora de amor, ofrecedora

seller of love, offering

para el mejor postor de su tonada.

to the highest bidder of her tune.

Cinco inviernos pasaron, y ahi seguía,

Five winters passed, and there she was,

la misma hora de ayer, la misma esquina,

the same hour as yesterday, the same corner,

era joven y piel, y aún tenía

she was young and skin, and still had

la rosa de su piel, y más grande la espina.

the rose of her skin, and the thorn even bigger.

Y sonreia al pasar de los mirones,

And she smiled passing by the onlookers,

bajo de aquel farol, noche tras noche;

under that streetlamp, night after night;

veinte veces se la llevaron presa

twenty times they took her away,

y cantó su canción tras de las rejas.

and she sang her song behind bars.

Y era un pajarillo de blancas alas,

And she was a little bird with white wings,

de balcón en balcón, de plaza en plaza,

from balcony to balcony, from square to square,

vendedora de amor, ofrecedora

seller of love, offering

para el mejor postor de su tonada.

to the highest bidder of her tune.

Se le arrugó la piel, y el maquillaje

Her skin wrinkled, and the makeup

suficiente no fue para taparle

was not enough to cover

la huella que dejó el sexto invierno,

the mark left by the sixth winter,

se le acabó el color, y hasta el aliento.

she ran out of color, and even breath.

Y de las ocho a las diez, solo en la esquina,

And from eight to ten, alone on the corner,

se quedo aquel farol y aquella espina;

that streetlamp and that thorn remained;

la rosa no sé yo, donde se iría,

I don't know about the rose,

se llamaba ... ¡no sé! ... y sonreía

her name was... I don't know!... and she smiled

Y era un pajarillo de blancas alas,

And she was a little bird with white wings,

de balcón en balcón, de plaza en plaza,

from balcony to balcony, from square to square,

vendedora de amor, ofrecedora

seller of love, offering

para el mejor postor de su tonada.

to the highest bidder of her tune.