¡Viva viernes! (Long live Friday! In other words, TGIF!)
La fecha es el diez (10) de febrero del año dos mil veintitrés. (The date is February 10, 2023.)
In the spirit of keeping the memory of our dead loved ones alive, this week I want to share Peruvian couple Alejandro y María Laura’s song Fiesta para los muertos (Party for the Dead). The music video shows us the customs that take place for Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day).
The song features vivid imagery and a flicker of comfort:
“Los niños no vuelan, cruzan desiertos” (The children don’t fly, they cross desserts).
“En mi ciudad penan, todos los muertos” (In my city, they dead suffer).
“Cada lunes empieza a llover” (Every Monday is starts to rain).
“Los hombres se acuestan sobre el cementerio” (The men lay on top of the cemetary).
“Tal vez sea la culpa por no ir al entierro” (Maybe it’s the guilt for not going to the burial).
“Y del subsuelo emergen cuerpos con sed de cielo, olvidados en el silencio” (And from underground bodies emerge with thirst from heaven, forgotten in the silence).
“Y aunque tengan los labios cortados” (And even though they have their lips cut off),
“Y aunque tengan los sueños helados” (And even though they have frozen dreams),
“Sé que siempre estarán a mi lado” (I know that they will always be at my side).
“Fiesta para los muertos” (Party for the dead).
“Llevan memorias en la piel” (They carry memories in their skin).
“Muertos, nadie los quiere ver” (Dead, no one wants to see them).
“Cargan memorias en la piel” (They carry memories in their skin).
¡Cantemos y recordemos! (Let’s sing and remember!) Sigamos la letra (Let’s follow the lyrics).
¡Que tengas un viernes vivificante! (May you have an exhilarating Friday!)
L. A. Feliz