Don't Call Me Guiri

Cherry

By Ewan

Fri, 16 Mar 2018
  • 2701 reads
8 comments
 

Call me Juan, Ay Wan, Eh-van;
I’ll answer rapidly,
shooting your short, hispanic vowels out
like peas through a rolled paper tube.

Don’t apologise for your lateness.
I’ll smile and shrug with you,
order coffees black and bitter from
your cousin working for peppercorn.

Take your time, speak slow, for me,
I’ll answer as a stranger,
the words like unfamiliar flavours
in my Anglo-Saxon mouth.

Don’t worry, I’m paying,
I’ll keep the receipt safe,
read the fading, foreign glyphs
until they mean less than nothing.

 

 

Footnote: A guiri is a foreigner nowadays. It used to mean just anyone from out of town

Certificate U
Poem
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Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

It can be good to be an outsider and observe the strangeness only strangers see.

Submitted by london_calling79 on

This is perfect. The prejuicio that is accommodating. The Spanish till assistants used to point at the total in pesetas and expect me to fumble with the money. Mira a los guiris.

 

Submitted by mickleinapickle on

Differing interpretations of how to pronounce other languages is fascinating and often funny. Enjoyed your poem!

Why are Spaniards always cold? It's because they only have Juanita.

 

Submitted by Ewan on

Hose A and Hose B...

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

with the country you are in, Iwan.

Personally I didn't mind being called a guiri, that's what I was.

Cabron is OK even hijo de puta when I deserved it.

Better than being called, spik or dago or even Manuel.

 

Hier in Belgie Ik ben een 'veemdeling' maar ik heet niet mensen, 'Klootzaken' of Hollanders, 'Kaaskoppen.'

 

 

 

 

Submitted by Ewan on

 down here it is most definitely an insult. I've lived here almost 15 years and, believe you me,it's only the last 2 where I've been referred to as Guiri again. Guiri was used for the GC too, in the old days when they were obliged to serve away from their home town.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Bitter and real like the espresso shots. 

Submitted by Ewan on

they should be. Thanks for dropping by, Elsie.

Ewan

Author Page at the 'Zon