A poem about cycles, about the fullness of summer and the ache of the end in the height of ripeness.

Please enjoy “The Orchard” from Mary Oliver’s Devotions.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over the French forces of Napoleon III at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This battle was significant as it thwarted Napoleon III's attempt to establish an empire in Mexico and provided a morale boost to the Mexican forces, even though a larger French force ultimately defeated the Mexican army later that year.

The holiday gained popularity in the United States during the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, where it became a symbol of resistance against foreign invasion and a way to link the struggle of the Chicano movement to Mexican heritage.

By the 1980s, commercialization by companies, particularly beer companies and restaurants, further popularized the holiday in the U.S.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated in the state of Puebla and the neighboring State of Veracruz, where it is marked with historical reenactments, parades, and meals to commemorate the battle. However, it is not a federal holiday in Mexico, unlike Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16.

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