3923  A 1921 milonga description

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 14:40:38 -0300
From: Alberto Gesualdi <clambat2001@YAHOO.COM.AR>
Subject: A 1921 milonga description

Dear friends from tango list
Some days ago the subject of the meaning of the word milonga as dancing place, was discussed.
I bought a book of Oliverio Girondo , an argentine poet (1891-1967), and found that one of his poems , written in 1921 , describes a milonga of those years, most probably at the outskirts of the city of Buenos Aires. For those who have read some material from Borges writer, it sounds quite alike.

I placed the original text in spanish, since my translation is very rough, Girondo does not use lunfardo words, but his spanish is very special .

Warm regards
alberto gesualdi
buenos aires

MILONGA
On the tables, beheaded bottles of "champagne" with white clown neckties ,
nickel buckets with skinnies arms and backs of beneath "cocottes"

The bandoneon sings in a slimy worm fashion ,
contradicting the red hair of the carpet, magnetizing the nipples, pubis and the taps of the shoes.
Machos doing fractured figures with a ritual dance rite ,
the head sunk between shoulders,
the swollen face with dirty words.
Females with nervous hips, just a little bit of foam at the armpits, eyes too much oiled armpits .
Suddenly a crystal failure is heard.
The tables spring in a sharp reverse jump and kicks four times the air.
An enormous mirror collapses with the columns and the people whom it had inside;
while in a surge of arms and shoulders , fistcuffs explode, like a round of flare rockets.
Along with the policeman , enters the salon the twilight dressed in violet.






MILONGA

Sobre las mesas,
botellas decapitadas de +champagne; con corbatas blancas de payaso,
baldes de nmquel que trasuntan enflaquecidos brazos y espaldas de +cocottes;

El bandonesn canta con esperezos de gusano baboso,
contradice el pelo rojo de la alfombra,
imana los pezones, los pubis y la punta de los zapatos.
Machos que se quiebran en corte ritual, la cabeza hundida entre los hombros,
la jeta hinchada de palabras soeces.

Hembras con las ancas nerviosas,
un poquito de espuma en las axilas y los ojos demasiado aceitados.
De pronto se oye un fracaso de cristales.

Las mesas dan un corcovo y pegan cuatro patadas en el aire.
Un enorme espejo se derrumba con las columnas y la gente que tenma dentro;
mientras en un oleaje de brazos y de espaldas estallan las trompadas,
como una rueda de cohetes de bengala.

Junto con el vigilante, entra la aurora vestida de violeta.




Abrm tu cuenta aqum