Día de los Muertos Celebration Includes Literary Calavera

Coinciding with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, Día de los Muertos—November 1-2—is a festive Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and remembrances. Families may create an ofrenda (altar), hang papel picado (paper banners), and decorate calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls). Another lesser known aspect of the tradition involves writing a calavera literaria (literary calavera): a satirical epitaph in verse. 

This year, under the guidance of new teacher Lilly Wurts, Merion Mercy Academy Spanish students tried their hand at these playful poems, which portray people as if they were dead. According to Wurts, “The cavaleras highlight the attributes and personality of the person and also how this person meets La Catrina (a skeleton figure depicting how the Mexican people see death and the afterlife) and flees from her or doesn’t. She adds, “It is culturally speaking an honor that someone writes one for you as we Mexicans view death as a part of life’s journey and receive it with joy.”

Here is one student’s calavera in “remembrance” of a favorite Theology teacher:

Dr. Thompson’s voice, a booming sound

Echoes through the school yard ground,

A metal fan with hair that flows,

Bringing energy wherever he goes.

Anime lover, Akira’s his fave,

A Star Wars fan, so funny and brave.

With each loud laugh and amazing clothes,

He’s our nerdy hero, everyone knows.

One autumn day, in battle stance,

He swung his lightsaber, taking a chance,

But tripped and fell, almost met his end,

As death approached, “Not yet!” he’d defend.