Monday, October 15, 2007

Quique Aviles

heard about this poet when I was in DC where salvadorans are the dominant Latino group...yup you heard what I said...



El Salvador at-a-glance

By Quique Aviles

El Salvador at-a-glance

Area: the size of Massachusetts

Population: Not much left

Language: War, blood, broken English, Spanish

Customs: Survival, dance, birthday parties, funerals

Major exports: Coffee, sugar, city builders, busboys, waiters, poets


El Salvador
little question mark
midget with a gun in his hand
belly button of the world

The only country in the world
know for eating its national flower

Little question mark that begins to itch

You were supposed to clean carpets
not ask for time out and dialogue

You were supposed to follow instructions
given in the English language
not go to the garden and write a song

It has been said that pain has the ability to travel

El Salvador’s major cities:
San Salvador
San Miguel
Santa Ana
Los Angeles
San Wachinton, DC

It has been said that pain does not know how to
pose for a green card picture

It has been said that truth has the ability to happen
in the strangest moments
in the strangest cities
under the strangest circumstances

El Salvador in Wachinton
little question mark
little east of the border
migrant earthquake
wet back volcano
banana eating
tortilla making
mustache holder
funny dressing

forever happy
forever sad
forever Wachintonian Salvadorean.

No comments: