El poeta agradece haber nacido en Valparaíso The poet is grateful for having been born in Valparaiso

Por más agua bendita que traigan
However much holy water bring

las lluvias y los ríos
the rains and the rivers

nunca quisiera haber sido yo mismo
I would never have wanted to be myself

una catedral gótica;
a gothic cathedral

imagine usted, este neófito que escribe,
imagine, this beginner who writes,

por más hermoso que sea, cómo podría
however beautiful he might be, how could he

llegar a ser la Notre Dame,
go as far as to be Notre Dame,

o la catedral de Burgos del cerro Cordillera?
or Burgos cathedral under the mountain chain?

pobre lenteja verde,
poor green lentil

qué ridículo me vería
how ridiculous I seemed

con arcos aguzados sobre mi cabeza,
with pointed arches over my head,

o que mis piernas fuesen dos columnas
of that my legs should be two columns

casi tocando el cielo,
nearly touching the sky

y mi pobre fachada que ya no tengo,
and my poor facade which I no longer have,

la torre principal mi campanario;
the main tower my belfry;

yo que nunca me he puesto
I, who have never worn

una corbata al cuello, ni zapatos
a tie round my neck, nor shoes

demasiado brillantes,
which were too shiny

no me vería bien con una bóveda de crucería,
I wouldn't look good with a ribbed vault.

o a dos brazos
or with both arms

sujetando arcos y agujas,
supporting arches and spires,

ay, madre mía, tu tesorito agradece
oh, mother of mine, your little treasure is grateful

el haberme traído a este mundo,
for having brought me into this world,

hecho de carne y hueso, brillando
made of flesh and blood, radiant

entre tanta naturaleza salvaje.
among so much savage nature.