Young sailors and their little paper boats

Sailor On Watch. Barcelona, 2014

Barquito de papel     by Joan Manuel SerratBarquito de papel,
sin nombre, sin patrón
y sin bandera,
navegando sin timón
donde la corriente quiera.

Aventurero audaz,
jinete de papel
cuadriculado,
que mi mano sin pasado
sentó a lomos de un canal.

Cuando el canal era un río,
cuando el estanque era el mar,
y navegar
era jugar con el viento,
era una sonrisa a tiempo,
fugándose feliz
de país en país,
entre la escuela y mi casa,
después el tiempo pasa
y te olvidas de aquel
barquito de papel.

Barquito de papel,
en qué extraño arenal
han varado
tu sonrisa y mi pasado,
vestidos de collegial.

Cuando el canal era un río,
cuando el estanque era el mar,
y navegar
era jugar con el viento,
era una sonrisa a tiempo.

The YouTube video for your enjoyment:

For a rough English translation…

Little Paper Boat    by Joan Manuel Serrat

Little paper boat,

without a name,

without a captain

and without a flag,

navigating without helm wherever the current might want.

Audacious adventurer,

rider of square paper,

that my hand without a past

set down on the current of a canal.

When the canal was a river,

when the pond was the sea,

and to navigate

was playing with the wind.

It was a smile at the time,

running away happy from country to country,

between school and my house.

Later time passes and you forget that little paper boat.

Little paper boat,

on what strange sandy place

will they get stranded

your smile and my past,

all dressed for school.

When the canal was a river,

when the pond was the sea,

and to navigate

was playing with the wind.

It was a smile at the time.