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Banquet of Dandified Death Laughing death, death dressed up in a tasseled hat, wearing a First Communion gown, sits down with us at the table; treats us to chilis and liquor, so that eternity may find us aflame and the mañanita may rise with nostalgia for strong drink and fancy dress. Dandified death, powerful death, you who place your hat on the poor, you who give the blind man a guitar with invisible chords. Festive death, red as the flower of Christmas Eve, the vanquished of the earth greet you, that you may carry them to your glorious table, and they may be sated with rage and justice. Dandified, Catrin, -a: Mexican word, in popular usage generally mocking; as a noun, often represented as a skeleton sumptuously decked out in feathers and finery. Mañanita: the poet deliberately plays off of two senses: the simple mañana of a day’s fresh dawning, with nostalgias of a night of partying; and las mañanitas, which in Mexico are the morning serenades sung to people on their birthdays.
Banquete de la muerte catrina La muerte que ríe, la muerte engalanada con un sombrero de borlas y vestida con traje de comunión, se sienta con nosotros a la mesa. Nos convida con chile y con aguardiente para que la eternidad nos encuentre ardiendo y la mañanita se levante con nostalgias de alcohol y de disfraces. Muerte catrina, muerte poderosa que le pones al pobre tu sombrero y regalas al ciego una guitarra de cuerdas invisibles. Muerte de felicidad, roja como la flor de Nochebuena, los vencidos de la tierra te saludan para que los lleves a tu mesa gloriosa, y sean saciados de ira y de justicia.
María Rosa Lojo |