Artemio Sanchez El Quinceanero

Back in 1963 when Artemio was fifteen
he spent a year and a half
in the San Antonio tubercular hospital.

The hospital was divided into wings,
you know, like schools.
All males in one wing,

all females in another.
One day Artemio noticed
a new arrival in the women’s section,

a girl named La Margaret
from San Marcos,
home of Poeta Villanueva.

Artemio courted La Margaret,
unsuccessfully, until two months later
when her sister Dominga arrived.

A lot of Mexicans got TB back then.
Anyway, Artemio and Minga became an item,
and exchanged bacilli with their besos.