Twas the Huelga in Puerto Rico
‘Twas the day of the huelga, when they claimed it illegal to strike
And the campus of Rio Piedras was beginning to resemble the Third Reich.
The snipers were positioned on the rooftops with care
With the hope that the huelguistas soon would be there.
All the students were nestled all snug in their beds,
With visions of Chicky Starr bashing their heads.
And de la Torre in his suit, and I in my mask
Had just settled in for a long disagreeable task.
When out in the quad there arose such a clatter
I flew from my bed to see what was the matter.
Through the zona de libre expresión I flew like a flash
Jumped over the barrier and ran in a dash.
The palm trees swayed high in the Caribbean sky
As a low flying police copter did pass us by.
When what to my wonder there soon did appear
A fuerza de choque was fast marching near.
In a row they marched making quick steady clicks
As they beat their clear shields with long black night sticks.
Walking like somber pall bearers they came
And we whistled and shouted to them all by name.
“¡Fuera policía, Doña Cuota, Fortuño!
¡Solo queremos estudiar en este recinto!
¡Vete de los portones, las aulas, el campus!
¡Sal de aquí, and end all this madness!”
And up high in her office Ygrí Rivera did say,
“The cuota is coming, they’ll all have to pay.
And if the strike continues the answer’s simple to me,
We’ll sell off the school and privatize it you see.”
But out in the streets the students did stand
Not wanting to see Fortuño’s vision for this land.
In an isle with poverty twice that of the states’
The PNP cared not what the students said at the gates.
For the governor had done what the tea party dreamed
He brought austerity and right-wing values it seemed.
And in the U.S., the right thought it a gift of Saint Nick’s,
What Fox News had longed for, except all the Hispanics.
And outside the police and the students were beginning to clash
Rocks flew from one side and from the other tear gas.
While the officers looked on the commotion with glee,
Figuera Sancha figured where the new campus barracks would be.
Inside their offices the administration let out a great sigh
That of their mismanagement the government had cast a blind eye.
Loudly, I heard them say while they watched this holiday fight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
