With Life Still Shinning In My Eyes

I kissed life, and it did kiss me,
As death, too, shall kiss me,
Future, quickly, gently,
Cold, freeing, piously,

Upon the grass of green
I'll lay myself to rest,
Full of all things, felt, lived and seen,
While, of life and breath I'm stripped,

I'll think of gentle, silk hands,
That did cradle me and loved me,
That, when I'd fall, they'd pick me up and help me stand,
That would put me to sleep, that loved me,

I'll dive into the idle times of old, that I so do cherish,
Simple, ephimerous, young and warm,
It's memories I find to be antidotes to these times, tarnished and blemished,
Yet to those times I wish not, to return,

For, I would not trade the sounds of the cannons of today,
For those of the harps and charming mandolins of yore,
The moments, most exciting and gripping, in colours and shapes,
Are those of turning tides and changing currents,

I'll sing my song, I'll say my piece,
I'll dance my dance, while I can, while I must,
May I live and love, these dreams, I'll see fulfilled,
These dreams I'd dare steal, these dreams I'd dare take from the whims and chances of fate,

And when death finds me, may it do so, not satisfied,
Not fat, brown and content, yet still wanting,
For life is wasted on those who do not seek, who do not defy,
May it find me new, yet gray, young, yet old, ready, yet with life still, shinning in my eyes,

-Norberto Mujica.