“Loisaida”
(By Bimbo Rivas; Written in 1974)
Originally published May 25th, 2015 on SofritoForYourSoul.com
Lower East Side
I love you.
You’er my lady fair.
No matter where I am,
I think of you!
The mountains and the
valleys cannot compare,
my love to you
Loisaida, I love you.
I dig the way you talk,
I dig the way you look.
Me vacila tu cantar
y yo me las juego
fria pa’ que vivas
para siempre.
En mi mente, mi amada,
yo te llamo Loisaida
Increible
una mezcla, la perfecta
una gente bien decente
de to ‘as rasas
que estiman
que te adoran
que no saben explicar
lo que le pasa
cuando ausente de
tus calles peligrosas
si te aman
A ti, mi hermosa Loisaida
O what a town…..
even with your drug-infested
pocket parks, playgrounds
where our young bloods
hang around
waiting, hoping that
one day when they too
get well and smile again
your love is all
they need to come around.
Loisaida, I love you.
Your buildings are
burning up
that we got to stop.
Loisaida, my love,
Te amo.
Who is Bimbo Rivas?
Bimbo Rivas was a community activist, who gave the Lower East Side the name “Loisaida” in a 1974 poem. He was a committed artist, whose talent enriched not only the Puerto Rican culture, but other cultures as well. Bimbo’s spirit and influence lives on in Loisaida today.
Among his students was the actor Luis Guzmán, who was trained at Charas in New York City.
On May 27, 1992, Avenue C became known as Loisaida Avenue. It was a token of appreciation for his contributions to the Lower East Side, his home, and for his people.
