p. 103
First Line: 
Pobre la Cucaracha se queja de corazón

Reference

Culture: 

About the Song

Print source: 
Fireside Book of American Songs

Translation(s)

Translation: 

The Cockroach

The cockroach, the cockroach can't walk any more
Because it doesn't have, because it lacks a leg to walk
[or. 'money to enjoy' or 'marijuana to smoke"]

Poor cockroach complains about its heart
Because it doesn't wear ironed clothes from lack of coal.

Clothes without starch is used/worn every day,
And without this nonsense, it looks like melon.

The cockroach died, they go to bury it
Between four vultures and a mouse as the sacristan.


Boberías means trifles, stupid things. Said otherwise, it means that without these stupid things (starch and ironing) the clothes look like melon –the type they call "melón escrito" which are those which skin is wrinkled vs the smooth ones.