my fatherland

I shall tell you about my father meu pai meu medo
dir-me-ás quem és                   you shall tell me who is
                                                 thou
de mim não perguntas nada           no questions asked
pois apenas a mim queres            my nakedness is the want
nua
through the soft lens of the Summer
gone

I shall tell you about my father

but for the night all I see is the Virgin Mary holding the baby
around your neck though my sister's necklace it was
and on fire                                    adorning your neck

before the night is over
all I see is your neck

around my hands

on fire

and the Virgin Mary holding the baby