La Bodeguita del Medio, two in the afternoon
Corner table, mojito going warm in my hand
Héctor's been in that chair since before the line at customs
Three strings doing everything a band can
Twenty-three American dollars in the hat
One photo taped face down inside the case
The tourist got down on one knee for the angle
And caught Héctor's shoes and never caught his face
Waiter calls out "otra ronda" to the room
Tourists ask if he knows Guantanamera
Héctor nods without looking up
And plays one line for Elena
Oye, old man — don't stop for the camera flash
Compay, keep going, son montuno, keep the clock back
She's in that corner of the melody somewhere
That's the only church Héctor ever attends
Elena wore yellow to the ferry once
That's all he told me, then nothing more
Said she danced like rain hitting tin
And cussed like a saint at the corner store
Died in ninety-two when the lights went thin
Or maybe that's just what the bartender said
Héctor only tapped ash off his cigarette
And moved the capo down instead
The Harvard kid showed his roommate what he got
Seventeen seconds, already calling it Havana
Héctor plays through to the final bar the same way he always does
Because leaving early would be leaving her early
Oye, old man — don't stop for the camera flash
Compay, keep going, son montuno, keep the clock back
She's in that corner of the melody somewhere
That's the only church Héctor ever attends
I asked him what song it was
Héctor smiled with one gold tooth
Said "No es canción, amigo"
Then pointed at the empty booth
The booth had a crack in the red vinyl
Cigar burn shaped like a moon
Nobody sat there after seven
Nobody asked him to move
Oye, old man — don't stop for the camera flash
Compay, keep going, son montuno, keep the clock back
She's in that corner of the melody somewhere
That's the only church Héctor ever attends
At closing time he counted the hat
Left the quarters, took the bills
Put Elena's picture back face down
Like he always will
I stepped out into Obispo
Rum on his breath like a half-told truth
Behind him, Héctor played one more measure
For the woman in the empty booth