L A N D S C A P E

The boy is selling flour tortillas
			on the bus
note
	they are
		flour   not corn
this
is the north
not the south .
Now	we
take the corner
		climb the hill
		onto the
		long
winding
	highway street
	toward
		the beach .
Look over there :
	O F I C I N A
is painted on the
wall
	behind
that empty lot
	where
	stray dogs
prowl .
On the corner
	of	CINCO  ESQUINAS
hot dogs
	grill
BIMBO  bread
smell
	into
our passing window bus .
This is the land where wienies
come wrapped in bacon
mmmm nam sssss
mostaza mayonesa nostalgia .
The bus climbs over cemetery hills .
Crowded little houses
cling to crumbling
star-wars
		dreams
coming
		true in
cement dust
	and old TV sets
flickering
above
foundation walls
	piled
rubber
tires .
Year by year the houses
get		better
	here
		while on the
		farthest	outskirts
new shacks
rise	from	dust .
In the distance
empty river waits
	for
		winter
rain.
for Mesoamerica from Tijuana September 2002

LANDSCAPE: The boy is selling flour tortillas on the bus note they are flour not corn this is the north not the south .   Now we take the corner climb the hill onto the long winding highway street toward the beach .   Look over there : OFICINA is painted on the wall behind that empty lot where stray dogs prowl .   On the corner of CINCO ESQUINAS hot dogs grill BIMBO bread smell into our passing window bus .   This is the land where wienies come wrapped in bacon mmmm nam sssss mostaza mayonesa nostalgia .   The bus climbs over cemetery hills .   Crowded little houses cling to crumbling star-wars dreams coming true in cement dust and old TV sets flickering above foundation walls piled rubber tires .   Year by year the houses get better here while on the farthest outskirts new shacks rise from dust .   In the distance empty river waits for winter rain .

Gringo     TJ Poemas