Soñador Triste ... Sad Dreamer

Maritza Mora

Dejando América 
Tierra que amo 
Desde las montañas (Valle de San Gabriel) 
Al océano (Condado de Orange) 
Yo soñé 
El sueño americano 
Lo que mostraron en la televisión 
Educación, mucha 
cantidad Carrera 
Contribuyente
Buen ciudadano 
Derecho respetuoso

Leaving America
Land that I Love
From the Mountains (San Gabriel Valley)
To the ocean (Orange County)
I dreamt
The American Dream
What they showed on Television
Education, lots of it
Career
Taxpayer
Good citizen
Law Abiding
 
Despite giving all that they asked, because of greed, money hungry, power, lust, and above all power of control, we are unable to even buy land. Buying a home with the white picket fence, flowers, plants from Home Depot, barbecues in the front yard is no longer possible. If we do, we must work 10 hour days 6 days a week. Our home would only be a storage unit, a place to sleep, shower, eat; it would not be a home. Living in America has become difficult. There is racism; there is corruption. 
 
I want to move to Mexico. I want to live. No country is perfect…every country has its flaws; Mexico has some corruption, but in Mexico people are able to live. 
 
In Mexico, we can afford a home, eat without pesticides; everything is already organic…I won’t have to work two jobs to make ends meet. 
 
I want to move to Mexico because it is healthier. There isn’t commercialism like there is here…there aren’t people fighting to encourage, aka brainwash, to eat fast food, soda, and candy.  In Mexico, we don’t have a million commercials playing on our televisions. There aren’t people trying and fighting to influence the manner in which we drive, or what we wear.  People in Mexico drive what they can; they wear what they want with no judgment.
 
Did I mention cancer and other diseases are almost unheard of in Mexico? There is no “Walk for Cancer,” no “Children’s Hospital,” no chemo hospitals…yes, some have diseases but they are such a small number, it is shocking, those people are featured on the news. How much cancer, how many diseases do we have in America? How many drug commercials play constantly on our televisions? Why do I see 80- to 90-year-olds living on their own in Mexico? How are they able to walk to the market and do as they please? Seniors in America wear buzzers in case they fall. They need people to stay in their houses with them and take care of them. They’re only 70  and they have 3 or more pill boxes.
 
America discourages me. America makes me sad…I never felt this way, but my Country gives me nothing now and takes everything. America has lost its way and doesn’t want to try, to open its eyes, to have empathy or share; America no longer is the Land of Dreams.
 
Soy un triste soñador
I am a sad dreamer.
 
America is sending back the Statue of Liberty; she can no longer uphold her motto.  The Statue of Liberty is tired of the sick, she’s full of the poor, the smog, the second-hand smoke…The light of liberty is now off. Every shadow of this land waits in the dark. 

Yo también tengo un sueño. Sueño que un día, todos en todo el mundo se darán cuenta de la importancia de salvar la tierra, de vivir unidos como uno solo.

I too have a dream. I dream that one day, everyone all over the world will realize the importance of saving the earth, of living united as one...