Crazy Mexico

CRAZY MEXICO

After making Mexico my home for the last 27 years this seems to be what I feel about it. A wonderful country of colour and light, Pity about the bad stuff but in the end it is all mad stuff!!!

“You’ll come back”, they said. Had I forgotten something? The Mexican food is ‘patrimonio de la humanidad’ Then you get Moctezuma’s So-called revenge but what did you do? The girls are something else But then so are most girls They say Mexico is the second most corrupt country Because it paid Brazil to be first On a Mexican roundabout nobody cares Nobody learns how to drive Only how to get a licence And then they just work it out Chiles are hot peppers But peppers aren’t always hot chillis Tuna is a fruit and atun is a Tuna Moles get crushed up in a sauce And taste a bit like chocolate Mi late chocolate Has nothing to do with an evening beverage “Mi casa es tu casa” But not the front door key “Para servirle” A prelude or postscript to no service “Estoy a sus ordenes” And then nothing happens And “un servidor” who only serves himself Mexiquences, Chilangos, Chapanecos Regios, Tapatios, Jarochos, Campechanos Jalapeños. Habaneros, Poblanos Amaranto, Alegrias, Chiclets Besame mucho, La Bamba, La Bomba!

Charreria, the national sport But the sport of choice is fut Basketball courts everywhere Where the barefoot Triquis kids win gold Like the Tarahumara women and men Running and winning again and again in sandals But little recognition for their sandalismo In robotics, mathematics, Triumphant results but lack of exposure Always resplendent in paralympics Paracaidas, parasoles, Paranormal, paradigma Mexico is a crazy country With every apparent advance It becomes majestically more so The Rich get better at being rich And the poor get better at being poor The narcos, robbers and kidnappers Join hands with police and government And go free to dance in incredible sunsets. Everyone eats tacos and beans and aguacate All mums wear an apron The good the bad and the majority Boots with long toes Hair well-greased back More power, more ‘mojo de King Kong’ Combed into thick hair Big brimmed hats, bigotes Bizcochos and conchas Verga and Pinga Chinga a su madre, Que padre, su gato, Su perro y su pez Y hasta su vida

Photos by Olivier Evans

La raza mas chida Pega la piñata while blindfold Dandole duro hitting out with the stick Sometimes hitting a little cousin by mistake But in the end The paper mache effigy surrenders And out tumble sweets and more sweets Accompanied by Coca Cola for los niños Cuba Libre for los grownups Holidays on beautiful beaches The jungles, the mountains Highways and hijacks Soldiers and police Shootings in the distance Screeching wheels Escape from the rat race Into the rat run Acapulco divers Who get shorter with every dive Taxi drivers in their Tsurus Who can never find anywhere The national anthem Which seems to get longer with every rendition And the bandera, the most beautiful flag in the world Tri ‘rock and roll’ in Español TRI the national football team And PRI the biggest national disaster Nevermind earthquakes and volcanoes Bricks and ash can be shovelled away Not so the PRI who just morph Oh Crazy Mexico A lot of noise and even more nuts. Much ado about something wonderful You are my home and now my heritage At once my deception but also my inspiration You are my sorrow but also my sunshine! Shamble on Crazy Mexico!