Serenading La Sirena

The barrio was a shipwreck
of drowning pachucos y pachucas

la sirena
was my girl

I worked long hours on the docks
welcoming salt

Saturday nights were made
of sand

my girl all painted up
fins and all

what a beautiful tail
swimming in and out of ships

the barrio bobbing up and down
our zoot suits soaked with surf

grab onto the barrio
if you can

she whispered
with her wet lips