Playa Girón [English translation]

My fellow poets,

Taking into account

The latest trends in poetry,

If you would allow me to ask (I feel that I must)

What kind of adjectives should one use to write

A poem about a ship?

Without sounding sentimental,

Old fashioned,

Or sounding like a polemical pamphlet

If I should I use words

Like Cuban fishing fleet

And Girón beach

My fellow musicians,

Taking into account

Today’s daring polytonal songs,

If you would allow me to ask (I feel that I must)

What type harmonies should one use to write

The song about this ship

With men who hardly had a childhood

Men who are just tough sailors on deck

Men black, red and blue,

The men who populate Girón beach

My companions in history

Taking into account

How unforgiving the truth must be,

If you would allow me to ask (I really feel that I must)

What should I say? Which rules should I respect?

If someone steals food and then gives up his life,

What should we do?

How far should we follow these truths?

How much do we really know?

Well, let them write the story,

Their own story, the men of Girón beach