I fell in love with a dreamer,
Making his wishes on the stars
And stripes, but no longer silently waiting
For an answer.
*
“I don’t remember much about México.
The stairs to our home descended beneath the street,
A hidden cave carved into the earth.
My tears turned the floor to blood.”
*
We will immediately terminate
President Obama’s two illegal executive amnesties.
He defied federal law
And the Constitution
To give amnesty to 5 million illegal immigrants.
*
My father says it will be a “merit-based system,”
Almost like he’s trying to convince himself, knowing
If I lose this, there are many things I cannot forgive:
I started learning Spanish
Just in case.
I almost convince myself that it’s to talk to his mother but
He leaves open a page on his laptop.
The Spanish military offers citizenship in exchange for service and
He asks me to run away with him, to Canada or France,
Pretends he’s only teasing,
But his eyes are serious when
Drunk on seven-dollar wine, he asks me to marry him.
There’s no hesitation when I answer
Yes, despite knowing that
Our love is built on contingency plans.
*
“There were at least ten layers of people in the truck,
All stacked on top of each other.
My mother was in the middle but she still felt it—
The concavity of her lungs under the weight
Of all those dreams.”
*
“Nunca he sido bueno con las palabras,” I say,
The syllables clumsy on my tongue,
Consonants crashing together, vowels catching on my teeth.
He kisses me and tells me my accent is terrible.
*
“When border control came, someone hid
Me and my sister in a tree. My mother
Couldn’t find us. The others tried to silence her but
Her screams still echo in my chest. How can anyone
Understand that kind of fear unless they’ve lived it?”
*
They are here illegally.
They shouldn’t be very worried.
I do have a big heart.
We’re going to take care of everybody.
We’re going to have a very strong border.
We’re going to have a very solid border.
*
“Eres lo que siempre a querido,” he says.
“Te amo, te amo, te amo.”
Give All To Love 