Calle de la Argentina, España
whether it was
cheaper or had a cherished
fifth bedroom the family
preferred the opposite side
of the street fifteen meters
facing diverging concrete
four stains of traffic
separating them from
petroleum dust they packed
their nails and shoes in zip
lock bags made their escape
in less than five hours less
than the time it took for me
to explore the shelled veins
of this city the first thing I
thought was how am I
supposed to say goodbye
I can’t even say goodbye
in my native language
what if instead I just asked
how they got the movers so
riled up so frantic to be
able to move ancient wood
and spit up plastic across
the asphalt maybe in this
epoch they can light their
eyes with some kind of
molecular blaze maybe
this is what gets them
going maybe this is what
keeps them from fleeing