USA’s immigranter kommer frem i solen
The dust of farms and deserts, cities and plains
mingled by one wind—our breath. Breathe. Hear it
through the day's gorgeous din of honking cabs,
buses launching down avenues, the symphony
of footsteps, guitars, and screeching subways,
the unexpected song bird on your clothes line.
Hear: squeaky playground swings, trains whistling,
or whispers across café tables, Hear: the doors we open
for each other all day, saying: hello, shalom,
buon giorno, howdy, namaste, or buenos días
in the language my mother taught me—in every language
spoken into one wind carrying our lives
without prejudice, as these words break from my lips.
Der var ikke mange latinoer at se på The Mall foran Kongressen til Obamas anden indsættelsestale i Washington d. 21. Januar. Flertallet var hvide amerikanere og en betragtelig del af de godt halvtreds procent sorte afroamerikanere, der gør Washington til en af de mest racemæssigt blandede byer i USA. Om det var fordi, der er t