Andrea Barajas

on translating Margarita Carrera

I chose to translate the poem in a way that preserves its poetic structure, emotional intensity, and imagery because the original is more than just a message—it’s a lament, a tribute, and a protest. The repetition of hermano (“brother”) carries a deep sense of solidarity and shared struggle, which I maintained to honor that relationship. I kept the line breaks and rhythm close to the original to preserve the feeling of breath and grief that runs through each verse. Rather than opting for literal or overly formal translations, I focused on capturing the soul of the poem—its sorrow, its memory, and its resistance — so that the English version could evoke the same resonance as the Spanish.

This poem specifically spoke to me because its themes of loss, shared pain, and unwavering solidarity resonate deeply with many struggles around the world today. The image of blood spilled in the streets and the echo of a “mutilated song” speaks to the grief of witnessing violence and injustice from afar, while still feeling intimately connected. In translating it, I hoped to carry that emotional weight across language — so that others, too, might feel the urgency of mourning and remembering, even from within “a small life.”