My First Seven Days in the USA

When I crossed the border

            It was very strange.

It was the first time I saw a patrol

The officer turned on the siren

            He told us:

            ‘If you want to stay healthy STOP!’

*

They moved us

            my daughter and the others

To the hielera.

The hielera is a horrible place.

            It is very cold

            They treat people very bad.

You sleep on the floor.

You cover yourself

            with something very strange.

            The food is very bad.

*

Thanks to God

We only had to stay in that place

            One day.

Then they transported us

            to a place called la perrera—the dog kennel.

The name is in very bad taste indeed!

There was better food

            But

At bedtime my heart hurt

            Because

They separated me from my daughter.

Those two days were

            Agony.                                     Mother 10-26-16