Courtesy of J. Gilberto Quezada
I had heard about the Calavera poems from Mamá, who told me that they were very popular in Mexico around El Día de Los Muertos (All Souls’ Day). In the barrio El Azteca in Laredo, Texas, I also remember hearing people talk about this particular poem when I was growing up in the 1940s and 1950s. And, when I was the director of the Bilingual/Bicultural Education Program at the South San Antonio ISD, one of my teachers, Marie Mayoral, wrote a Calavera poem in my honor. I then realized that Calavera poems could also be written for people who are still alive. In many cases, they could be penned for any festive or special occasion. But mostly they are common when a friend, an acquaintance, or a well-known person passes away and one wants to pay homage since Calaveras are eulogies written in satirical verse.
A dear friend and fellow alumnus from St. Augustine High School in Laredo, Texas, Jesús “Jesse” Treviño, and retired educator, wrote this Calavera poem in my honor. Jesse graduated with my sister Lupe in 1963, and his sister Petrita graduated with me in 1965. He always signs his name, “El Chuy de siempre.”
Calavera al recuerdo del Azteca de J. Gilberto Quezada
Al historiador famoso
de Don Gilberto Quezada,
no pudo el diablo agarrarlo –
por no saber donde estaba.
Y es que aquel favorito de la diosa Clio, que tantos cantos a ella le habia dedicado,se encontraba en su honorable estudio, removiendo los viejos huesos del Laredo del pasado.
El gran Satanas creia que aquel barrio del Azteca, ya sus diablitos habian para siempre enterrado.
Y no te sorprenda, lector, que asi Lucifer pensaba, pues pocos rastros terrenes los pingos habian dejado.
Al pasar a mejor mundo nuestros viejos compañeros, al ir a podrirse por la avenida de Saunders, se empezaron a perder no solo sus viejos huesos, sino que tambien los sitios por donde antes se paseaban.
No nos asustan el crujir de los huesos de nuestro viejo esqueleto, ni las ruinas que hoy llenan a nuestro barrio querido.
Siempre quedara el recuerdo, con la ayuda de Quezada, y tendremos lo que nuestros viejos nos enseñaron – a la Esperanza – y a la muerte avasallada
And about five years ago, a good friend emailed me the obituary for Nativo López, who died in Santa Ana, California, after battling cancer for two months. He was born in Los Angeles, California and was 67 years old. Nativo was the former national president of the Mexican American Political Association and national director of the Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana, a community service and advocacy organization for Mexican and Latin American immigrants throughout the United States. He was remembered as a beloved leader, friend and fierce immigrant activist.
And a few days later, my friend emailed me a copy of a Calavera poem he wrote in honor of Nativo López, which I would like to share with you. The reference to César and Bert is attributed to César Chávez and Bert Corona, both were labor and civil rights leaders.
La Calavera De Nativo
Brother NATIVO
is taking a break
It’s nothing he planned
It was an unexpected turn
one of those life’s curves
It wasn’t his style to rest
it was a call from above
La Calaca laid the carpet
and he sort of lost his step
A farmer friend once told me
A dog’s job is to bark
Just the same la pinche muerte
Comes around once in a while
She’s doing her job
no la puedes culpar
we can blame time, though
for all unfinished plans
He fought for immigration reform
organized student walk-outs
for education for all
Nativo never let up
I never met the bato
but I knew him well
he marched for all of us
was born to raise hell
He’s not leaving us yet
he’s only taking a break
he went out to confer
with his friends Cesar and Bert
He’ll be next to la gente
in a demonstration or march
fighting for labor and human rights
Nativo will be presente
