The Pioneers

Crazy as this may sound to you,
Henry no longer feels like a stranger in a strange land.

The country has reverted to Mexico.
Mr. Bones looking illegally wet,

walks into Wal-Mart
and the predominate language is Spanish.

The girl behind the register no comprende
until he Spik in Glyph.

The soldiers: Alurista, Lalo Delgado, Ricardo Sanchez,
insisted this would happen.

But most of us didn’t listen,
and took the low road.

Ye of little faith reap small rewards.
Behold how brown, Texas has become.

Reyes Cardenas

Reyes Cardenas‘ writings have been published in various places including, Caracol, El Grito, and Place of Herons Press. His books include Anti-Bicicleta Haiku, Survivors of the Chicano Titanic, Elegies For John Lennon and I Was Never A Militant Chicano. All of his books are available in ebook form from Alexander Street Press.