Piragua Guy:
Sigue andando el camino
Por toda su vida.
Respira.
Breathe.
Piragua Guy & Community:
Y si pierdes mis huellas
Que Dios te bendiga.
Respira.
This is my street
I smile at the faces
I've known all my life,
They regard me with pride.
And everyone's sweet,
They say, "You're going places!"
So how can I say
That while I was away,
I had so much to hide?
Hey guys, it's me!
The biggest disappointment
You know—
The kid couldn't hack it,
She's back, and
She's walking real slow.
Welcome home,
Just breathe,
Sigue andando el camino
Por toda su vida. Nina:
Respira. Just breathe—
Y si pierdes mis huellas
Que Dios te bendiga.
Respira.
As the radio plays
Old forgotten boleros,
I think of the days
When the city was mine.
I remember the praise, Community:
Ay, the adoro, te quiero. Te adoro,
The neighborhood waved,
And said, "Nina, be brave, Te quiero,
And you're gonna be fine!" Respira!
And maybe it's me, Respira!
But it all seems like
Lifetimes ago,
So what do I say
To these faces
That I used to know?
"Hey, I'm home?"
Neighbor Lady:
Mira, Nina,
Hey,
Lady & Community:
No me preocupo por ella.
They're not worried about me.
Mira, allí esta nuestra estrella.
They are all counting on me to succeed.
Ella si da la talla,
Nina: Community:
I am the one who made it out. Aaah!
The one who always Aaah!
Made the grade. Aaah!
But maybe I should Mira,
Have just stayed home, Nina.
When I was a child
I stayed wide awake,
Climbed to the highest place
On every fire escape—
Restless to climb. Respira,
I got every scholarship,
Saved every dollar,
The first to go to college,
How do I tell them why Respira,
I'm coming back home
With my eyes on Aaah!
The horizon, Aaah!
Just me and the GWB,
Asking, gee Nina,
What'll you be?
Straighten the spine.
Smile for the neighbors.
Everything's fine.
Everything's cool.
The standard reply,
"Lots of tests,
Lots of papers."
Smile, wave goodbye,
And pray to the sky,
Oh God,
And what will my parent say? Nina,
Can I go in there and say, Nina,
"I know that I'm
Letting you down,"
Abuela Claudia:
Nina