Dating : La Esperanza

It was clear to see we were hungry
the near empty plate I carried with skeletal hands
los niños with hollowed cheeks anticipating their next
bite
the waiting and begging for the next meal
coming home to a casa of mud and dirt
the casa filled with the sound of cards shuffling and
chips clattering
the casa where he sat drinking and draining our
esperanza away
the casa where I lay sick begging for an escape
there is a legend of the tierra de la oportunidad, land of
opportunity
the land where bellies will be full every night
the land where we’ll have more than just the clothes on
our back
the land where we can expand our minds to greater
reaches
the land where we have a chance
I had no other option
no choice and no voice
no money and no job
what do i do?
when I told them I was leaving all they could do is cry
they begged and plead for me not to go
I knew they would understand someday
but the littlest one wouldn’t let me go
wouldn’t let me leave without him
I bought the clothes on my back
a small sack of food
a child in my arms
a dream for a better life for my family
three days journey through the harsh desert to the nearest
bus
we get to the border on a bus
we wait with many people just like us to get a coyote
we walked through trails and cross the roaring river at
night hiding in the shadows

Now we are here
now I have una esperanza
but that soon changed
I needed to bring the six children I left
to keep my promise to them
to do that I needed a job to pay a coyote
to get a job I need papeles to work
It wasn’t an issue if you had papers
but I didn’t have papeles
six years of taking care of children that were not my own
saving every penny, nickel, and dime
spending long nights and countless hours working
praying every day until they were finally safe in my arm
six years I lost in time
trying not to get caught by la migra
if you can imagine I didn’t know a word english
la lengua of my people was all I knew
it was a big red marca on my back
branding me as an alien from out of this mundo
so I hid in the shadows
the pathway to citizenship was a narrow road
one wrong step and we could be sent back
we paid the fine, we paid our dues
and we waited in the back of the line
if we succeeded we would get the golden ticket
Ojalá que the land of opportunity is still true
Ojalá que you take to the streets too
Ojalá que you use your voice to speak for the ones that
can’t
Ojalá que you share my story far and wide so others can
fight too
Ojalá que in this way you can help too
This is my esperanza