23 July 2009. Chill wind, ghost ripples on pool. Empty lanes at dawn. En route home--the old pool--building now a pile of rubble, two iron-jaw machines scooping up chunks of concrete, dumping them without ceremony into dented bin of waiting semi, diesel running...
La Siete de Abril de Andrés Chazarreta...from a different time. Image on screen--a young man, posture forthright, seated at table, pavo y mate al lado, "tratando de tocar"--una frase gauchesca, or is that so? A certain dignified modesty, in any case--viejo estilo criollo--although he's certainly too young, and the striped pullover reveals a much more recent age. Heavy sliding bolt on door, locking from the inside...
Otros andarán por ahí
igualitos como yo
cantando tristes sus penas
zamba sos mi canción...
* * *
Others will follow along
just as I do
singing with sadness their sorrows
zamba, you are my own song...
(Note: The adjective, gauchesco, describes an act of selfless--and often risky--generosity. Viejo estilo criollo--the old argentine criollo ways. For example, story of poet, Juan L. Ortiz, that he always addressed his young son not as tu, but rather in the second person formal, usted. Viejo estilo criollo. The boy would answer him using tu...)
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