Paciencia Y Fe

Calor! Calor! Calor! Calor! Calor! Calor! Ay Mama! The summer's hottest day Paciencia y fe Paciencia y fe Ay carajo, it's hot! But that's okay Mama would say, "Paciencia y fe" It was hotter at home in La Vibora The Washington Heights of Havana A crowded city of faces the same as mine Back as a child in La Vibora I chased the birds in the plaza Praying, Mama, you would find work Combing the stars in the sky for some sort of sign Ay, Mama, so many stars in Cuba En Nueva York we can't see beyond our streetlights To reach the roof you gotta bribe the supa Ain't no cassiopia in Washington Heights But ain't no food in La Vibora I remember nights, anger in the streets, hunger at the windows Women folding clothes, playing with my friends in the summer rain Mama needs a job, Mama says we're poor, one day you say, "Vamos a Nueva York" And Nueva York was far, but Nueva York had work, and so we came And now I'm wide awake A million years too late I talk to you, imagine what you'd do Remembering what we went through Nueva York! Ay Mama! It wasn't like today, you'd say, Paciencia y fe NEW YORKERS: Paciencia y fe ABUELA CLAUDIA: Paciencia y fe NEW YORKERS: Paciencia y - ABUELA CLAUDIA: Fresh off the boat in America Freezing in early December A crowded city in 1943 Learning the ropes in America En espanol I remember Dancing with Mayor Laguardia All of society welcoming Mami and me! Ha! EMPLOYERS: You better clean this mess! ABUELA CLAUDIA: Paciencia y fe... EMPLOYERS: You better learn ingles! ABUELA CLAUDIA: Paciencia y fe... EMPLOYERS: You better not be late You better pull your weight Are you better off then you were with the birds of La Vibora? ABUELA CLAUDIA: Sharing double beds, trying to catch a break, struggling with English Listening to friends, finally got a job working as a maid So we cleaned some homes, polishing with pride, scrubbing the whole of the upper east side The days into weeks, the weeks into years, and here I stayed NEW YORKERS: Paciencia y fe... Paciencia y fe... Paciencia y fe... ABUELA CLAUDIA: And as I feed these birds My hands begin to shake And as I say these words My heart's about to break And ay Mama What do you do when your dreams come true? I've spent my life inheriting dreams from you What do I do with this winning ticket? What can I do but pray? I buy my loaf of bread Continue with my day And see you in my head Imagining what you'd say The birds, they fly away Do they fly to La Vibora? Ay, alright, Mama, okay. Paciencia y fe! NEIGHBORS: Calor! Calor Calor!