ESMERALDA

Salvador, the afternoon sunlight is folding

around us,

The dishes are done,

The buildings here, tall as our mountains

Slice through the windows and cut off the

sun.

On such days I find I am longing for Puerto

Rico

Though I never would return 'til you are

free

But when I hear the Aguinaldo my heart's a

little lighter

And we dance together Aurea and me

In my life I've been unlucky with two

husbands

Gumersindo liked his rum and women friends

Then that hypocrite who beat you and

preached about repentance

Has gone, and so another Sunday ends

And tomorrow is another hard working Monday

I'm still hoping for the raise they promised

me

There's a job as operator

I would not have to wait for

If I could speak the language easily

But I tell Aurea:

The barrio's boundaries are our own little

nation

Sometimes I hear you run upstairs

And I view my light with resignation

Keep your bible near you

Time is an ocean of endless tears.



Mmm. . .







Lead Vocal-Ednita Nazario

Hi String Guitar-Paul Simon

Piano-Oscar Hernandez

Acoustic Guitar-Saturnino Laboy

Acoustic Guitar-Diomedes Matos

Bass-Ruben Rodriguez

Cello-Laura Bontrager

Flute-Oriente Lopez

Bongos, Maracas, Clave-Milton Cardona



Orchestral Conductor-Stanley Silverman