Side-by-side translation of `Por Una Cabeza' by Carlos Gardel using poetrytex and paracol.

PorUnaCabeza.tex

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\documentclass[11pt]{article}

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\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

% Use [PoetryTeX](http://www.ctan.org/pkg/poetrytex) and paracol.
\usepackage{poetrytex, paracol}

% Use the PA5 paper size
\usepackage[paperwidth=140mm,paperheight=210mm]{geometry}

% Number the poem(s)
\numberpoems

\begin{document}
\thispagestyle{empty}
\renewcommand{\poetryheadings}{\pagestyle{myheadings} \markboth{}{}}

\columnratio{0.6}
\begin{poem}[flushleft]{Por una Cabeza}{Carlos Gardel — 1935}
\begin{paracol}{2}
By a head, it's madness!\\
That horse seemed a sure thing\\
`Til the final stretch, when\\
It slackened, and lost.\\
As it walked back by I\\
Thought I heard it say:\\
``Pal, you know you wouldn't lose\\
If you just wouldn't play."

\switchcolumn

Por una cabeza\\
De un noble potrillo\\
Que justo en la raya\\
Afloja al llegar\\
Y que al regresar\\
Parece decir:\\
No olvides, hermano,\\
Vos sabés no hay que jugar…

\switchcolumn*

By a head, it's madness\\
That girl seemed a sure thing!\\
She whose burning kisses\\
Set my heart a-race\\
Always she was lying\\
About true love everlasting\\
Yet I cannot help it:\\
I'd risk it all on her!

\switchcolumn

Por una cabeza,\\
Metejón de un día,\\
De aquella coqueta\\
Y risueña mujer\\
Que al jurar sonriendo,\\
El amor que está mintiendo,\\
Quema en una hoguera\\
Todo mi querer.

\switchcolumn*

By a head! It is madness\\
But the lies of her kisses\\
Just begged to be believed\\
And while I was deceived\\
It burned away all sadness!

\switchcolumn

Por una cabeza\\
Todas las locuras,\\
Su boca que besa\\
Borra la tristeza,\\
Calma la amargura.

\switchcolumn
\pagebreak
But if she forgets me\\
I've lost! What's to live for?\\
Ah, life is a thousand\\
Empty, broken promises —\\
So why live at all?

\switchcolumn
\pagebreak
Por una cabeza\\
Si ella me olvida\\
Qué importa perderme,\\
Mil veces la vida\\
Para qué vivir…

\switchcolumn*

Why must I keep losing\\
By a head? It's madness!\\
Always swear today\\
I'll stop pushing my luck.\\
Even when I win\\
Soon it's lost — but then\\
To think of her kisses\\
Brings me back to her again!

\switchcolumn

Cuántos desengaños,\\
Por una cabeza,\\
Yo juré mil veces,\\
No vuelvo a insistir,\\
Pero si un mirar\\
Me hiere al pasar,\\
Su boca de fuego,\\
Otra vez, quiero besar.

\switchcolumn*

I'm done with these races.\\
No more foolish gambles\\
Never more return\\
To see the bitter end!\\
But then, next week a filly\\
Seems once more to be a sure thing.\\
Gamble and I'll lose:\\
But what else can I do?

\switchcolumn

Basta de carreras,\\
Se acabó la timba,\\
Un final reñido\\
Yo no vuelvo a ver,\\
Pero si algún pingo\\
Llega a ser fija el domingo,\\
Yo me juego entero,\\
Qué le voy a hacer.

\switchcolumn

By a head, it is madness…

\switchcolumn

Por una cabeza…
\end{paracol}
\end{poem}
\end{document}