I.
caliche dust smothers ciudad juarez,
scattered colonias covered in a suffocating haze.
the sparkle and shine of el paso looks down on these houses with scorn--
these humble homes of crumbling adobe,
scrap plywood,
cardboard.
yet young women flock to these shacks,
their minds filled with four dollar daydreams,
hope lies in the maquiladoras.
christina was one of these girls,
fifteen years old,
her hair pinned in tight black glossy ringlets.
she clutched a fake ID in her left hand and
hope in her right as she boarded the bus for work.
eight hours assembling sandals
that are too expensive for her to wear.
she feels fulfilled.
and her tired feet grind rubber and dirt as she boards the bus for home--
she watches longingly out the window
at brightly lit cantinas,
at young men with tequila,
at a brief escape.
the bus lurches to a stop outside the plaza,
and she lets her feet carry her past the streetlights
onto the corners where men with too much alcohol and time
stand in wait.
II.
he caught your eye, christina,
green glass sparkling in the murky light,
and stumbled over,
echoing in your measured footsteps.
he called to you, slurring syllables.
"bonita!"
you were too scared to turn,
but he turned you forcefully,
smashing fragile bones against ashen brick.
your tears did nothing
as he pulled cloth from skin--
your work apron, torn,
was left crumpled in the mud.
you screamed as he found his passage,
held your breath as you went numb,
prayed as he held your face in both hands
and closed your eyes as he snapped.
briefly, he gazed at the blood on your lips
the blood on your thighs
before stumbling back into the cantina.
III.
oh, christina--
la voces sin eco are calling your name.
they cry for you
with tears of pink watercolor,
black crosses nailed to their faces.
Gold trophy winner
Adding your comment:
Learning about the tragedies of Juarez was a very educational, horrifying, and inspiring process. Reading about the murders, the killers, the victims, and those who give hope to the women of the future (God bless Esther Chavez) really enriched my perspective.
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