Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Jorge Luis Borges' "Milonga of Albornoz" is a poetic reflection on the fleeting nature of life, fate, and the memory of a man named Alejo Albornoz. Written in the form of a milonga, a traditional Argentine folk song often associated with the tango, Borges uses this narrative structure to convey the story of Albornoz with both a sense of inevitability and reverence for the past.

The poem begins with a sense of predestination: "Someone had measured out his time, / Someone marked his day, / Someone to Whom no heed is paid / Either hurry or delay." Borges suggests that Albornoz's life was marked by an unseen force, a fate that was predetermined, and to which Albornoz is indifferent, whether it speeds up or slows down. This idea of destiny is central to the poem, as it sets the stage for the events that unfold.

Albornoz is introduced as a man strolling "lightly whistling / An Entre Ríos milonga." This image of Albornoz whistling a tune as he walks creates a sense of nonchalance and ease, portraying him as someone comfortable in his own skin, living in the moment without concern for what lies ahead. The mention of his "cocky hat" and his "eyes [taking] in the morning" further emphasizes his self-assurance and his connection to his surroundings, the morning of a day far back in "eighteen ninety-one."

The poem then transitions to recount Albornoz's past, particularly his involvement in various loves, card games, and violent encounters: "Along the northern waterfront / By now they’ve lost the sum / Of the loves he had, and cardgames played / Around the clock, or frays / With knives, battling neighbors or cops / Or men he didn’t know." Borges paints Albornoz as a man who lived a life of passion and danger, someone whose past was filled with intense experiences that have now faded into obscurity.

Borges introduces a sense of impending doom when he mentions that "more than one tough, more than one crook / Have had an eye on him; / Somewhere on a Southside street / A knife awaits the man." The inevitability of Albornoz's fate is foreshadowed as Borges subtly hints at the violence that will soon claim his life. The knife, or rather the knives, are not just tools of death but symbols of the relentless forces of fate that are closing in on Albornoz.

The climactic moment of the poem arrives when Albornoz is attacked: "Not just a single knife but three, / Before the day grows light; / They came at him behind his back / And he stood firm to fight." The three knives symbolize the overwhelming odds against Albornoz, yet he stands his ground, reflecting a man who faces his fate with courage and resolve. The phrase "before the day grows light" suggests that this event takes place in the early hours of the morning, a time associated with both the end of the night and the beginning of something new—perhaps symbolizing the end of Albornoz's life and the start of his legend.

Despite his bravery, a "blade sank deep into his chest— / On his face no pain or dread." Borges emphasizes Albornoz's stoicism in the face of death, portraying him as a man who accepts his fate without fear or regret. The image of Albornoz falling dead "as if it could not matter to him" reinforces the idea that he had already come to terms with his mortality.

The final lines of the poem reflect on the legacy of Albornoz: "I think he might have been pleased to know / His tale is told today / In a milonga’s lines." Borges suggests that while time may erase many details of a person’s life, the essence of who they were can live on through memory and storytelling. The milonga, a form deeply rooted in Argentine culture, becomes a means of preserving Albornoz's story, ensuring that he is remembered even as time moves forward.

Borges concludes with the reflection that "Time is / Oblivion and memory." This duality captures the central theme of the poem: that time both erases and preserves. While many aspects of Albornoz's life may be forgotten, the story captured in the milonga serves as a testament to his existence, balancing the forces of oblivion with the power of memory.

In "Milonga of Albornoz," Borges weaves a narrative that is both a tribute to the man and a meditation on the nature of fate, memory, and the passage of time. The poem resonates with the tension between the inevitability of death and the enduring power of stories to keep the past alive, offering a poignant reflection on how lives are remembered—or forgotten—in the flow of history.

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