¡Quítenme aquesta puente que me mata,
señores regidores de la villa;
miren que me ha quebrado una costilla;
que aunque me viene grande me maltrata!

De bola en bola tanto se dilata,
que no la alcanza a ver mi verde orilla;
mejor es que la lleven a Sevilla,
si cabe en el camino de la Plata.

Pereciendo de sed en el estío,
es falsa la causal [reason or motive] y el argumento
de que en las tempestades tengo brío.

Pues yo con la mitad estoy contento,
tráiganle sus mercedes otro río
que le sirva de huésped de aposento.

Take that bridge off me, for it's killing me,
Your Honors, councilmembers of this town;
I tell you it has cracked one of my ribs;
it's too big, and it's such a heavy load!

From arch to arch it is spread out so far,
that even my green shore cannot quite see it;
I'd rather that they take it to Seville,
if it could fit across her river's road.

Perishing from thirst in summer's heat,
it's wrong to give the cause and argument
that in a storm, at least, I pass the test.

Since with just half of it I'd be content,
your mercies, bring another river here
to serve it as a second, paying guest.

                     (©Alix Ingber, 1995)