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| Voices from the rocks. |
| First you must understand that we have always crossed the river here - upstream rise the ragged mountains downstream stretch the muddy swamps. For travelers on the coast, here is the place to cross this desert river between the mountains and the sea. That is why the Indian path was here. That is why the actual road is here. That is why the border gate is here. No matter what you call us, north to south, or south to north, here is where we always crossed the river (from) before the border was born. We came. They come. Indian Kumayai, Ipai people, Mexican Spaniard, Yankee conqueror, man woman child tourist or worker greencard or illegal, laser visa, passport, what is your citizenship, green light you may pass - red light inspection. Come to cross between the mountains and the swamps where the river flows down & turns left toward the sea here where sand and brush kiss the winter water, cross here, before the mud, below the hills, here. So we came. They come. From the first Indian trails where no one said stop on our way to harvest shellfish at the rocks south of playas to the expedition of 1769 colonizing California for new Spain to dirt roads of yanquis & rancheros with wagons and horse driving cattle toward market on San Diego bay to 1911 filibusterers who fled across the river from defenders of Tijuana to the refugees from revolution and returnees for colonia Libertad rejected by American depression to Volstead prohibition drinkers and Hollywood tourists spinning rubber tires on new cement Orson Wells and Dolores del Rio, World War II, Korea, Marilyn Monroe, bracero laborer, soldier-sailor, Vietnam Japan Korea maquiladora Germany France 19-year old college drinker party dancer Mexican shopper crossing to buy @ discount and silent worker-employee seeking pay. We came, and they come - to the vast millenium freeway where all must be beckoned forward into the gate of judgment by man and guardian dog into the sovereign mouth of hell where migrant fires lick at the fence through teeth of unequal yet friendly neighbor nations we came - you come - to this place to cross the desert river of sticks and sewage foam here, here, here between the mountains and the ocean. |
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| Copyright 2002 Daniel Charles Thomas |
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| ¿Quiere leerlo en español? |
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| ¿Quiere leerlo en español? |