THE DEAD AND DYING..."BROWNSVILLE: ALWAYS A FIESTA"

Svelte Rose Timmer

Of Healthy Communities of Brownsville

Wants to ingratiate herself with our viejitos

"De Fiesta Con Mis Abuelos," she has named her brainchild

Since when, we wonder

Has she loved our elderly:

Once it was fashionable

Or once it was profitable?

The Catholics already bless the pooches

And the shrimp boats in the harbor

But who'll make over the tlacuachitos

Run over by speeding cars?

The dead and dying 

Ply the city's streets

Dodging the homeless

Buying their mandadito with the monthly check

Downtown is now a playground for the young
With money, honey

They shut down cantinitas and congales
And  drove out the viejitos and viejitas 
Who used to come to La Marqueta a pistear
Y al bailongo

Like Bean used to say

"Always a fiesta"

Manana we'll worry about housing

Income, sidewalks and bus shelters

But for now, Timmer - like Bean - says
Toquenme "El Tlacuachito" y

A bailar abuelita