Vecino

por

Jae-P

Ya se despertó el gigante

y los estamos levantando.

Estamos hablando fuerte,

 pero hablando también con el corazón abierto.

Tha’s right.
Ésta va pa' mi vecino.

Ojala que nos podamos entender un poco mejor.

Je, je, je, tha’s right.

Ésta es una carta a mi querido vecino

de ojos azules a que le dicen «gringo».
Quiero saber que bronca tenemos.
Hablas mal de mí sin conocernos.
 ¿Porque tanto odio si te vine a ayudar

pa' que mires la tele en tu lindo sofá.

Me criticas porque vengo a trabajar.
Por medio de mi sudor voy a completar.
No vengo a pedir ni a que me regales.

Vengo por el dólar

y a mi familia darles.
Tu país es muy grande y necesita de mí.
Si no hubiera trabajo,

no estuviéramos aquí.
Tus abuelos recuerda hicieron mi oficio.

Llegaron como inmigrantes en busca de lo mismo.
Estudia la historia de este país

y veras que todo mundo vino a construir.

Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a robar.
Vengo con sueños –

ojalá comprenderás.

Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a pedir.
Vengo a trabajar –

no vine a sufrir.
Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a robar.
Vengo con sueños –

ojalá comprenderás.
Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a pedir.
Vengo a trabajar –

no vine a sufrir.

Tu gobierno anuncia

que ya no me quiere.
Pone en los cerros láminas de paredes.
Construimos un túnel y pasamos ahí --
por abajo de tus pies entramos al país.
Déjame te explico un poquito de mí,

para que conozcas lo que hago pa' vivir:
en el otoño recojo tus hojas al caer,
en el invierno te quito la nieve de tu anden,
en primavera siembro y acomodo tu jardín,

pa' que en verano tus hijos jueguen ahí.

Han pasado cinco años y mira los míos.
Sé que están bien porque en las fotos los miro.

Me hacen mucha falta.

Extraño sus abrazos.
Aprieto el teléfono cuando platicamos.

Me acuesto por las noches

con mi «amiga» soledad.

Esperanza me levanta

y me da ganas de chambear.

Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a robar.
Vengo con sueños –

ojalá comprenderás.

Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a pedir.
Vengo a trabajar –

no vine a sufrir.
Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a robar.
Vengo con sueños –

ojalá comprenderás.
Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a pedir.
Vengo a trabajar –

no vine a sufrir.

No llegué por barco ni siquiera un avión.

Me vine caminando cruzando cerros a montón.
Soy inmigrante

y no hay vuelta que darle.
Tú también eres –

chequea tu sangre.
Si tienes piel clara no eres de aquí,

si tus ojos son azules pa' que decirle.
Yo también quiero el sueño americano
como los europeos y los africanos.
Sé que te gusto:
comes mi comida.
Sé que te gusto:
me pides ayuda.
No me tengas miedo

si no me parezco a ti.
Si me quito la piel soy igualito a ti.
Soy tu vecino y pa' siempre seré.
Aprende el español y yo el inglés,
pa' podernos entender mucho mejor.

Sacaremos adelante esta grande nación.

Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a robar.
Vengo con sueños –

ojalá comprenderás.

Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a pedir.
Vengo a trabajar –

no vine a sufrir.
Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a robar.
Vengo con sueños –

ojalá comprenderás.
Vecino (vecino).
No te vine a pedir.
Vengo a trabajar –

no vine a sufrir.

Neighbor *

by

Jae-P

Now the giant has been awakened

and we are stirring them up.

We are talking forcefully,

but talking also with open hearts.

Tha’s right.

This goes to my neighbor.

I hope that we can understand each other a little better.

He, he, he, tha’s right.

This is a letter to my dear neighbor

of blue eyes that they call “gringo.”

I want to know what squabble we have.

You speak ill of me without knowing us.

Why so much hate if I came to you to help

so that you can watch TV in your nice sofa,

You criticize me because I come to work.

By my sweat I’m going to finish.

I don’t even come to beg that you give me gifts.

I come for the dollar

and to give to my family.

Your country is very big and needs me.

If there were no work,

we would not be here.

Your grandparents remember doing my trade.

They arrived as immigrants in search of the same.

Study the history of this country

and you will see that the whole world came to build.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to steal.

I come with dreams –

hopefully you will understand.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to ask.

I come to work –

I didn’t come to suffer.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to steal.

I come with dreams –

hopefully you will understand.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to ask.

I come to work –

I didn’t come to suffer.

Your government announces

that it no longer wants me.

It puts layers of walls in the hills.

We built a tunnel and cross there --

under your feet we enter the country.

Let me explain to you a little bit about myself,

so that you know what I do to live:

in the fall I pick up your fallen leaves,

in the winter I remove the snow from your walk,

in the spring I plant and arrange your garden

so that in summer your kids can play there.

Five years have passed and look at mine.

I know that they are well because in the photos I see them.

I really need them.

I miss their hugs.

I squeeze the telephone when we talk.

I go to bed at night

with my “girlfriend” solitude.

Hope wakes me up

and gives me desire to work.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to steal.

I come with dreams –

hopefully you will understand.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to ask.

I come to work –

I didn’t come to suffer.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to steal.

I come with dreams –

hopefully you will understand.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to ask.

I come to work –

I didn’t come to suffer.

I didn’t arrive by boat or even an airplane.

I came walking across a lot of hills.

I’m an immigrant

and there’s no way around it.

You are also –

check your blood.

If you have white skin you’re not from here,

or if your eyes are blue to tell you.

I also want the American dream,

like the Europeans and Africans.

I know that I please you:

you eat my meals.

I know that I please you:

you ask for my help.

Don’t be afraid of me

if I don’t resemble you.

If I take off my skin I’m just like you.

I’m your neighbor and will be forever.

Learn Spanish and I’ll learn English,

so that we can understand each other much better.

We will take this great nation forward.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to steal.

I come with dreams –

hopefully you will understand.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to ask.

I come to work –

I didn’t come to suffer.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to steal.

I come with dreams –

hopefully you will understand.

Neighbor (neighbor).

I didn’t come to ask.

I come to work –

I didn’t come to suffer.

* a male neighbor, or a generic neighbor of either sex, but not specifically a female neighbor