Poem by Larry and Michelle and added to by Daris

My Great Uncle (or another title might be "Las Fincas")  

Wind and rain and mud and constant toil

Arriving before the sun has awoken from his sleep

The line of men worn and tattered appearing oh so loyal

Forming in teams of three they begin their trek climbing steep

One with a knife firmly tied to a pole of wood

Cuts the strong thick stem allowing the heavy load to leap

The bundle of long yellow fruit fell to where he stood

The dirty pad on his shoulder absorbed the forceful fall

Ramiro cringed with pain and soreness lifting as fast as he could

He fell into a watering trench slipping down to crawl

Retrieving the damaged fruit he made it to his feet

Hanging the heavy load on the moving mechanical awl

Hardly able to walk Ramiro feels like he’s been beat

Etelvina welcomes him home and finally he feels complete

Michelle Mejicanos & Larry Love

Larry vino a Guatemala y visito a Ramiro un día, y Eber se lo llevo para la cuadrilla a ver como Ramiro se ganaba el sustento del día y al llegar a la cuadrilla, todos le dieron la bienvenida y él se quedo sorprendido del trabajo de cómo se hacía y ahí mismo nos tomo una fotografía, que quedo de mandarla un día, pero ese día no llego. Y Larry sorprendido la almohadilla sucia al hombro se hecho, y cuando Ramiro le hecho el paquete de fruta amarilla Larry cayó de rodillas. Y como no se podía parar le ayudaron los de la cuadrilla. Y era un hermoso día ya que el sol resplandecía. Y cuando llego donde su mami telvi le dijo que cansado venia, y su mami telvi le dio un pedazo de piña fría y el contesto con esto si me refresque el día porque cansado me sentía. Y le gustaron las bananeras y dijo que volvería algún día. Y hasta hoy que anochece y amanece, el sol brilla y Larry no aparece todavía. Larry quedo sorprendido de ver como Ramiro se gana el sustento del día. Y tiene treinta años de trabajo en las bananeras y no le duelen ni las rodillas. Saludos. Daris López y Ramiro López.

Larry came to Guatemala and visited Ramiro one day, and Eber took him to the crew to see Ramiro breadwinner of the day and upon arrival the crew, all welcomed him and he was surprised how work was made and right there we took a picture, send the remainder of a day but that day came. And Larry surprised dirty shoulder pad is made, and when Ramiro made Larry package yellow fruit fell to his knees. And since it was not helped stop the gang. And it was a beautiful day and the sun shone. And when I get where your mom told him telvi came weary, and his mom gave him a piece telvi pineapple cold and if I answer with this cool day because I was tired. And I liked the banana and said he would someday. And even now that dusk and dawn, the sun shines and Larry does not appear yet. Larry was shocked to see how Ramiro breadwinner of the day. And he has thirty years of work in the plantations and do not hurt or knees. Greetings. Ramiro Lopez and Lopez Daris. (Translated by Daris)

This is a poem written by Ramiro and his Daughter and when it is translated it does not come across as well as it does in Spanish but I want to thank them for welcoming me when I did visit the Banana Plantations and showing me what real work is. This is an answer to the poem Michelle and I wrote about Ramiro. The Great Uncle which may be better titled "Las Fincas" Michelle's teacher at school wants to put it on the school web site. I know there is an error "o" should be oh and if you find more errors that's ok let me know.

Daris pointed out that Ramiro is strong and would not fall by the weight of the banana and she is right we were just taking poetic license in order to make a point of how hard the work really is.

Daris dijo que Ramiro es muy fuerte y no va a caller bajo de las bananas pero Michelle y yo solo usamos esto como un ejemplo para mostar que el trabajo es muy dificil.