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para Abuelita Neli y sus hijas
. . .los que nunca sabe nadie de dónde son. . . los que fueron cosidos a balazos al cruzar la frontera. . . los eternos indocumentados. . .
. . .the ones no one ever knows where they’re from. . . the ones burned by bullets when they crossed the border. . . the eternally undocumented. . .
Roque Dalton, “Poema de amor” May 14, 1935–May 10, 1975
Contents
2 Saguaros
3 from The Book I Made with a Counselor My First Week of School
6 On a Dirt Road outside Oaxaca
10 Instructions for My Funeral
11 Montage with Mangoes, Volcano, and Flooded Streets
15 Documentary
16 ARENA
17 “Don Chepe”
18 Disappeared
19 Rooftop
21 Politics
22 Aftermath
23 For Israel and María de los Ángeles
24 Crybaby
25 Abuelita Neli’s Garden with Parakeets Named Chepito
26 I Don’t Want to Speak of “Don Chepe”
28 Postpartum
29 “Ponele Queso Bicho” Means Put Cheese on It Kid
31 Mom Responds to Her Shaming
32 Alterations
33 Aubade
34 Prayer
37 Citizenship
38 San Francisco Bay and “Mt. Tam”
39 Doctor’s Office First Week in This Country
40 Vows
41 Nocturne
42 Deportation