I was just a child back in Antilla
My father dressed me as a sailor
I had to navigate 90 miles
And begin my life as a foreigner
Escaping the sickle and the olive green
Running from that absurd ideology
Well, I never wanted to be the appetizer
of the hatred, of the rancor and apathy
In the suitcase I brought a hummingbird,
A book by Martín, a dream and a dance
Benny Moré1 came as a stowaway
Along with The Matamoros2 and Cumin
I brought a palmtree and a hut
And at the end of the river I relocated
in my humble place of lodging
for two and Southwest Avenue.
Eh, eh, eh, eh....
There began the harsh reality, oh God,
of everyone who goes adrift 3
to survive outside of their language,
of their customs and their identity.
What had to happen, happened
I accepted the shelter of my new city
Well, resignation is the faithful friend
Of a man when he has to emigrate
And despite the distance and the attack
of the rigid almanac4, I live with the good fortune
of feeling Cuban to the death,
of being a lover of freedom
Now that my people are hopeful
I feel inspired and I'm singing a song
announcing to all of my brothers
that our day is coming soon
Oh, oh...Oh, oh
It's coming soon
Oh, oh...Oh, oh
(It's coming soon)
The whole world is already waiting
(It's coming soon)
Oh, Cuba, beautiful and exquisite
(It's coming soon)
Because we are one people who are singing
(It's coming soon)
I want to see my flag fly, Cuba awaits us
I'm going to sing my heartfelt song
(It's coming soon)
In the park square and in Consolación5
(It's coming soon)
Every day I love you more, my beautiful Cuba, I love you more
(It's coming soon)
From San Antonio6 to Maisí7to Maceo8and to Martín
(It's coming soon)
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1. Cuban singer, bandleader and songwriter. Moré was a master of most Cuban popular genres, such as the bolero, son montuno, mambo, and guaracha.2. The Trío Matamoros was one of the most popular Cuban trova groups.3. lit.- throws out the rope; unanchors4. I think it may mean the passage of time5. The municipality of Consolación del Sur is one of the fifteen municipalities in the province of Pinar del Río in Cuba.6. San Antonio de los Baños is a municipality and town in the Artemisa Province of Cuba.7. Maisí is a municipality and town in the Guantánamo Province of Cuba8. Maceo is located in Isla de la Juventud, Cuba