It was a sad day
In the ghetto
When
Doña Cuca’s Spanish
Restaurant
closed its doors
for the very
last time
Only memories
Of the greasy
Caribbean Cuisine
Would remind
Its old customers
Of what was
El Flavor del Barrio
Cause Corporations
Monetary Transformers
Or better yet
Devils in disguise
Had moved into
The poor neighborhood
Little/Overweight/Balding
Gringos had discovered gold
In them there ghettoes
Black folk were destitute
But damn
Tons of cash
Were being spent
On hole-in-the-wall
Establishments
Mr. big bucks “Rob-a-fella”
Brought corporate America
To the needy citizens
Of El Barrio
It was legendary
Clean
Immaculate and spacious
It could seat
One hundred and fifty
In the worst part of the hood
It was Economics
At its best!
It was the one and only
Magnifico
“Mac-cuchifritos”
Spanish Fast Food with style
Where all the workers
Had Latino Names
Like Juana, Maria, Jose, Pedro, Juan
And let’s not forget our
faithful affirmative action
government appointed quotas
immigrant worker
with fifty-thousand last names:
Chuy Jose De La Cruz Montessori Edward Olmos
Lopez Anthony Martin Puente
Even poor white trash
Were given full employment
Just as long as they spoke
In a terrible stereotypical accent
O lay! My naymo is Bob Smith
Komo están ustedes! Si no ganamos
No cobramos! Tienes un perro
en tus pantalones! Would you like to try the special?
Behold the ninth wonder
Suburban rich big wigs
Drove distances
To experience the gutter
Taste the magic
The feel
of Mac arroz con gandules
Mac pernil
Mac alcapurria
Mac relleno de papa
Mac empanadilla
And everyone’s favorite
Mac platanos/Mac plantains
Viejos, campesinos, jibaros
All complained
Of the new Yankee
Business invasion
But their cries
Were short lived
For they eventually died
Like Doña Cuca
Leaving the youth
And future generations to believe
That being Latino lies
In a styrofoam container
Fifty years later
Old men speak
Of the nineties
Latino literary revolutionary
Renaissance taken down
By a sick corporate scheme
Where we all have to sing
Mac-cuchifritos…
Roberto and You!
In Corporate America
Some live the dream
While others experience
The nightmare.
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