Now my country begins

Now     my country begins

Like the wind in motion

something is burning out there

if you see a singer in a bar

if you have questions about God

if you see a wooden machete

dangling from a tree

you know that my country begins here

When you hear the conch shell break

when you see black water overflowing the banks

when you see blood dripping off the tracks

when you hear the conch shell singing of the people

if you hear the howl of ancient gestures

you know that my country or death

begins here

If you see the grimace of your son

if you feel the glare of your daughter

if you see the singer drop to the floor

when you see miraculous chains melt in hot tears

when you see the white corpse of the little one

you will see the condor descend

you know that my country begins here

When you see my comrade, Miguel, in the arc of the sun

when you hear the little bird’s complaint

when black water covers all the land

when you hear the wind in motion

when there is nothing left to hear

you know that my country or death begins

something is burning out there