i tasted the old Mexico dirt
for the last time in Mexicali
my tongue felt the burning taste
of fear piss dirt & broken glass
my tongue wanted to spit out
the dirt
but el hijueputa coyote told us
with his chilango slang
no alsen la mirada cabrones
o se los lleva a todos la chingada
i grunted like a pig
i coughed & pushed my head
against the hot dirt
sharp bits of glass & dirt got
into my mouth
broken glass cut
my tongue
i swallowed the old Mexico dirt
for the last time as the hot wind
splashed against my bones
a long-slept river
made out of dried tears
woke up inside of me
i tasted its dried banks
with the tip of my cut tongue
i stayed down
my head heavy
pressed against the hot dirt
my right ear burnt
as the dead chanted my name;
Related: More ‘Viva Macondo’ entries
