I came to South Texas
leaving behind
pigeons and concrete jungle
I came to South Texas
leaving behind
colorful murals
of La Virgencita de Guadalupe
to decrepit, abandoned
negocios in a small town
of San Benito
I came to South Texas
away from bullets
and death counts
to the occasional floater
in a resaca and sheriff
that gets a good night sleep on most nights
I came to South Texas
away from my crying mother
away from lowriders
away from views of mountains
away from paleteros with knives
away from cholas with almond shaped eyes
But slowly
what i left behind
joined me
except
I am now seeing birds in all colors and melodies
project houses of concrete
moldy walls
the murals
rush past me
in speeding trains,
La Virgencita showed herself
on the back of a bald prisoners head,
y mi madrecita en mi corazon
East L.A became San Bene
the hail of bullets traveled
chingos of miles
across the Rio Grande waters
washing up bodies of Central Americans
y Mexican immigrants
for the vatos de verde to identify
NO lowriders around
just a parked Impala with
expired tags
no mountains
just blue bonnets
I’m sure there’s a shank somewhere
in the wood framed
raspa stand
y las rucas tienen ojos
chinitos con sharpie lined
eyebrows tambien
my NIKE shoes
stayed by the L.A. River
now I run
in boots with skud marks
toward a wall
that says
The U.S.A. in now closed!
