The Beat of the Tambores

Dance, twirl, spin to the rhythm of the drums.

Come kiss my cheek, friend!
Once in Uruguay.
Twice in Argentina.
Thrice or more if the euphoria
catches you.
Come dance, twirl, spin in the
moonlight to the beat of
the Tambores.
The beat pulsates; let it stretch
the borders of your soul—
possess you, replace you, become you.
Come kiss my cheek, friend!
By the Uruguayan sea—
el sol, la vida,
the beat of the Tambores.

A poem by Pemba Umoja