Claudio Rodríguez

1934-1999 / Zamora

High Wages

Joyful is he who one good day leaves, humble,
and saunters through the streets, like on so many past days
of his life, expecting nothing
and suddenly —what's this? — he looks up
and can see; puts his ear to the world and he can hear;
walks and feels, climbing among his steps,
earth's love, and goes ahead and opens
his true workshop, and in his hands
his craft shines, clean, and he offers it to us,
gladly because he loves, and goes to work
trembling like a small boy taking communion
bursting out of his skin, and then
realizing how simple
it's all been —his wages earned already—
he comes back home, elated, and feels that it is someone
who is grasping the door knob, and it's not all in vain.
Translation: ANABEL TORRES
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