Robert Hernández
(Latin American & Latino Studies)

Ella

Her body hurts all over,
Her work is really hard,
She's missing lots of papers,
She's missing a green card.

She waded 'cross the river,
Coyote led the way,
La Migra caught most others,
She, lucky, got away.

She saw a gang rape woman,
She saw the gang kill man,
She left a Solidarity
With sandwich in her hand.

For days she wandered foothills
As lost as she could be,
Coyotes in the hinterlands
Would help, but not for free.

Sometimes she wants to go home
To lands that speak her tongue
But fears Passeo'll come again
And she's no longer young.

The days are getting longer,
The hours running short,
The rules are posted on the board,
She'll never go to court.

Although she's owed vacation,
Sick days and overtime,
She takes abuse in daily dose
And never speaks her mind.