My Milonga

While the water for our must-have mate heats
we can follow the inherited beats of ranch-filled tunes,
myself on good Iberian guitar and my grand gaucho pal
on German button accordion, oh beautiful bandoneón,
remembering always those who performed before us,
a framed centerpiece being the memory of folks of folks
disembarking on the docks with just one suitcase each
but so much life, baggage, background and know-how,
enough to provide all of our kitchens with shapes of pasta,
the pride of polenta, and new ideas to turn over empanadas
that we can all enjoy here on the pampas far from the port
as we intone the strumming and humming of chamamé,
the little dance of bailecito and the simple staple of zamba
and especially above all today's fare: the malleable milonga
Oh yes! long live my song, my country air.
My milonga to tell my long story
of land, love, liberty, and lasting longing.