English

Calaveras: A Literary Tradition

Politicians, celebrities, collaborators, and members of EL UNIVERSAL share with us their rhymes and verses as a part of the Day of the Dead tradition!

Mexicráneos exhibition - Photo: Camilia Mata/EL UNIVERSAL
Mexicráneos exhibition - Photo: Camilia Mata/EL UNIVERSAL
Jossy Javier characterized as a Mexican Catrina - Photo: Courtesy of Pablo Ponce Meráz
Child being painted during the Mega Procesión de las Catrinas 2017 - Photo: Camila Mata/EL UNIVERSAL
Mega Processión de las Catrinas 2017 - Photo: Sofía Danis/EL UNIVERSAL in English
02/11/2017 |08:54
Redacción El Universal
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Rhymes and verses courtesy of the respective authors...in English we just had fun translating them.

Miguel Ángel Mancera Espinosa
Mayor of Mexico City

To Mexico City

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Dashing and dainty, The Dapper Lady rambled

Mexico City, with the intent of instilling fear.

Tequila in hand as if to feast,

she forgot of her resolve,

and, instead, took a stroll.

Here, she found a city: upbeat, jolly and gay.

Infused she was, with all its dance, laughter and parade.

With all she remained passionately fascinated,

and refused to turn back to her grave,

For with Mexico City she had been infatuated!

Alejandra Barrales
National Leader of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)

Death roamed on Sunday

only to find The Front at work.

She told Alejandra, Dante, and Ricardo:

Mexico’s time has come.

A change, of course, is what Mexico needs,

death consents to with the cheerful attendees,

“Let’s finish with corruption from the ruling party”, they declared

as Mexicans yearning was finally conferred.

Dolores Padierna

Enrique Peña Nieto believed early on

he was the savior of his people thereupon.

He gave the impression of an agent of change

with tricks of smoke and mirrors he arranged.

He turned out to be an awful nightmare

of violence and corruption beyond compare

The crown of indecency he now bears

and to the graveyard he will return

with a glut of votes

from a nation which has had enough.

Enrique Ochoa Reza
National Leader of the Institutional Revolutionary  Party (PRI)

Death remained attentive

to the shaping of a certain Front

that was quite the talk

for all the kids on the block

were just seizing the moment,

and remained by The Dapper Lady taunted.

There you’d find the rouge himself

keeping all his wealth in the shadows,

while a hackneyed other avoided arrows

and came closer through explanation

of how a mortgage paid for her Miami accommodation.

The Grim Reaper laughed to death and said:

“You’re Front will bite the dust,

and soon you’ll join that someone

in the land where you give up the ghost!”

Renato Sales
National Security Commissioner

They sleep in this burial, the city streets,

as Death retaliated with jauntiness and buoyancy

through tally earthquakes of grim coincidence.

All things considered, reason prevailed

And Death with mounting solidarity was leveled

They all came to the reunion:

Federal Police and Protection Services,

Felons and the whole of the Security Commission

Honoured the name of the Ministry of Interior

César Camacho Quiróz
Head of the PRI seats in the Lower Chamber

Two years ago, they say,

threatening Death

with a thundering voice declared:

Every congressman caught off guard

to the cemetery I will cart

and into oblivion they will stand.

The ruling party’s deputies,

eagerly completed their duties,

and in both commissions and plenary sessions

their names showed up

with outstanding impressions.

Nobody knows for sure

if this was plain terror,

or persuasion,

of dying in the graveyard

and missing the ballots

of next year’s general election.

Zoé Robledo
Congressman

Self-composed Day of the Dead rhyme

There was Zoé Robledo quite delighted

When a Hillary T-shirt he was granted.

Poor senator, he hadn’t fully regarded

That by putting it on, Death he had invited.

There was Zoé Robledo quite excited;

He thought on top of the poll he had landed

When a regeneration Reaper appeared beside him

And said: “Poor man, you are so misguided.”

There was Zoé Robledo giving a speech

The Belisario medal to a woman, that’s the thing!

Death came: give it to me! It beseeched.

Poor Zoé, he was frightened beyond reach.

Poor Zoé Robledo, he was weary

He went out and each time Death was ready.

3-of-3, abide by the law already!

Death listened and held steady.

For your overconfidence I came to collect you in Chiapas,

For your hastiness I came for your soul in the Senate,

3 out of 3 you wanted, how dare you!

Well, 3 out of 3 times with me I’ll take you.

CULTURE

David Huerta
Mexican poet

To Francisco Toledo *

For once Death

took fright, as Toledo

sketched her with a single finger

and sent her to prison.

From now on

she refrains from any human claiming

serving time as she is, without complaining:

long live the artist!

*Oaxacan based artist

SPORTS

Héctor Alfonso Morales

To Miguel Herrera

“Piojo” Herrera was more than confident

The title, in the end, would’ve been his accomplishment.

After all, Mr. Brizio told him:

“Rest easy, to the America, I’ll spare the beating.”

This didn’t escape Death’s hearing

Offended, it sealed the coach’s fate jeering;

It said: “Come, Miguel. I’m not the Cruz Azul to give away the crown

Even if you’re Azcarraga’s most cherished son

Today, for sure, he’d wish you were gone”

Because not even with her slaps la Pioja can cool Death down.

MONEY

Banking Sector

Irked Death roamed,

as banks refused to lend her some money:

¡Darn bankers, I’ll see you are gone!

Fintech and Condusef will throw the first stone.

Without delay, Death’s first victim was collected

and left Interacciones at the graveyard wedged.

Now characters by the name of Hank and Rojo

pave the way for a cobbled road

where Death can tour for long,

while from Banorte they present as offering

all banks with BBVA for their topping.

INTERNATIONAL

To Donald Trump

Death was more than tired of Donald Trump and all his bragging

Even Death feared him, the American claimed jeering.

That all his threats were fake news, and his word was law

The Reaper came and took him, and in a graveyard dumped him

Surrounded by the beautiful wall he’d always talk about

The tycoon now regrets with more prudence he didn’t behave

Too late did he learn, you cannot mess with Death.

SCIENCE

Julieta Fierro
Renowned astronomer from the National Autonomous University

To Silvia Torres, Chair of the International Astronomical Union

Silvia laughs at Death:

as it’s just a thread.

Universe lies at her feet

inside out.

Stars are her realm,

While of cosmos she’s at the helm.

Silvia, of universe empress

with galaxies she is blessed.

Even if Death should reach her

no tapping on stars will it earn.

ENTERTAINMENT

To Eduardo Yáñez

Through all corners of the world,

Death bemoaned the gorgeous one.

Keeping all in her grave except for a man

who would leave you speechless anytime.

Afar she heard Eduardo Yáñez cry

and rushed to the red carpet to stand by

as a reporter eager to inquire:

“He may be the one I’ve been looking for!”

said Death as she saw how Yáñez left everyone sore.

Reporter Death asked for an interview in the beyond

but an irked Yáñez sent Death straight….away

Death had no choice but to slash his whimper

and took him to her graveyard to say: “You are now gorgeous in temper!”

MEXICO

Frida in boots

“Frida” couldn’t take it any longer and hit the sack

after the good work she put to the earthquake task,

she resolved to keep Death in good company.

“I’ve fulfilled my duty”,

said Frida with her boots on.

“Let’s go to rest”, barked the Labrador,

while a dismal Navy was left next door.

“Rest Frida, you’re achievement remains the best we’ve seen”

said the sorrowful sailors at sea.

POLITICS

Alfonso Navarrete Prida
Minister of Labor and Social Welfare

Going through its data, Death was one fine day,

figuring out with how many numbers it could dispense.

Engrossed in its task, Death pensively thought:

“Of employment claimed by so many terms

even I would’ve had enough.”

Then unemployment fell and asked in awe:

What am I doing dead if I kept in good health?

Did statistics deliver me such a terrible blow?

Death promptly clarified, willing to throw it a bone:

“With so many formal jobs, even Social Security fell short;

despite being in the red, employment has won.”

And thus they spent the night, going over their lesson:

“It’s best to have benefits

than a stand on the streets, my suggestion.

This is how you lay the groundwork, no pressure,

for a better future to offer with some due protection.”

Alejandro Encinas Rodríguez

Leisurely Death was taking a stroll

When the ground shook it to its very bones.

From beneath rubble and dust,

Dozens of souls to Heaven rose.

To the streets the young ones flocked

And to Death they delivered a blow.

Yet the stubborn Reaper nimbly sought

the only dead missing down below.

In hiding again, its fear cloaked,

the ineffective government

for dealing its cards, its life lost.

Armando Ríos Piter

Quite happy were the political parties,

buying votes left and right

until the Pale Death came for all,

and ended their vicious plan.

Mournful about not winning more campaigns,

Death brought down their entire charade.

Only teeth and bone from them remained

And the vote to the independents went.

That’s one giant leap for democracy.

Now, without the money of the majority

as eternal corruption source and commodity

Political parties from the underworld won’t enforce their authority

Nor continue with their “wholesale” vote-buying policy.

Only through cheating they won elections,

To benefit from the public works inspections,

The voters taught them important lessons,

and of the Mexican Republic their votes came to the rescue.

The Reaper took them for being thus corrupted,

And in so doing, the independents he supported.

Javier Lozano

A smug Anaya wanted to be cemetery owner and undertaker all at once,

And to an early grave he sent himself when inside a tomb he fell.

There he met Death, which with a wide grin said: “in life, Anaya, you can’t be both

a self-seeker and a swindler.

Your greediness led you to the front of the Front, but here you’ve faced me head on.”

Roberto Gil

They say they were five,

Rebels by name they were called,

Death with amusement watched,

While Anaya their final moments foretold.

One night the Reaper found them

And took the five for a dance.

Now Anaya laughs unabashed

But Death has found out.

ENTERTAINMENT

Astrid Hadad

Death looms and sings nearby a nopal bush

It takes with her all Godzillas, locks and fines

Parking system is no more,

Death said… you’re done!

Forget about your presidential chair and took Mancera along.