#tejanos

tejanos /why did so many hispanics vote for trump?

elisa chavez

Tío, su casa tiene
escalones faltantes.
Pero en vez de cambiarlos,
ha cambiado si mismo.
Toma pasos largos,
forma músculo, sabe bootstrapear.
Forja carácter ¿y por qué?
¿Para sobrevivir?
¿Porque la vida sin amor
no es la vida?

No soy su enemigo.
Vengo con mis
martillos y medidas,
y debe pensar que condeno
todo lo suyo–
pero no.

Simplemente le quiero.
Simplemente pienso
en la noche. Pienso en usted,
dando un paso en la noche,
en la oscuridad.
El momento en que espera
algo sólido,
pero recibe
el vapor.

When people say
they don’t like Mexicans,
they don’t mean me.
Immigrants have changed
since I came here; now
they’re illegal. Handout hagglers.
Now they have no desire
to better themselves–
that’s what people mean.
Not me.

You kids are skinned so thin
these days–
martyrs and measurers,
bellyaching battle-drums
with all your words
for spelling anger.

I simply look at what’s there:
Jobs or no jobs.
Neighbors at church.
The rig bones
of a home built solid.
The ladder of opportunity
rising to heaven
rung
by rung.

Further reading:

• TheMiss Translated poems
• Politico:Trump Didn’t Win the Latino Vote in Texas. He Won the Tejano Vote.
• Miss Translated: the immigrant rights benefit e-chapbook!
• Support the author on PatreonorKo-Fi