Volando bajito

Words Written for Silvia

61 Words Written for Silvia That gentleman with the little notebook in his hand, that gentleman with credentials at his neck, that gentleman wanting to talk with me he doesn’t see Evangelina doesn’t see her standing the dry ground of her sorrow with the uncertainty of someone who’s totally clear because she is the mother of a disappeared girl who dwelled here just yesterday and that gentleman wants me to tell him about bahia blanca a city in the center of other winds this Saturday morning in the plaza de armas evangelina arce is ready to take up arms. No one is prophetic in this land evangelina. Right now I’m very busy, sir, and Evangelina knows that she doesn’t exist and yet she’s sitting there on top of her scream and that gentleman doesn’t listen to Evangelina the way he doesn’t listen to so many others. And Silvia Arce is here and now it’s Juarez it’s a wad of cloth in the mouth. I know, sir, it becomes routine, it’s no longer news, always-the-same-dead-ones. 62 Pero señor de libretita en mano, pero señor de credencial al cuello, haga el favor y mientras yo termino de copiar los versos que tarjó esta madre sobre las hojas de su cuaderno ocre, haga el favor de oir a Evangelina pedir justicia. Escuche aquí y ahora antes de que los huesos de su hija nos lo demanden. Ciudad Juárez, México. 1 de junio de 2003 63 But gentleman with little notebook in hand, gentleman with credentials at the neck, do me a favor and while I finish copying verses this mother tatooed over the pages of her ochre journal, do me the favor of hearing Evangelina’s claim of justice. Listen now and here before the bones of her daughter demand it. Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. June 1, 2003 ...