Poem: La Migra by Pat Mora

Pat Mora was born on January 19, 1942 in El Paso, Texas. She received a BA from Texas Western College in 1963 and an MA from the University of Texas, El Paso in 1967.  As a preeminent Latina poet and author, she focuses on the social and cultural elements that impact Latinos, including immigration, language, poverty, and education.  

 

 

 

La Migra

I
Let's play La Migra1
I'll be the Border Patrol.
You be the Mexican maid.
I get the badge and sunglasses.
You can hide and run,
but you can't get away
because I have a jeep.
I can take you wherever
I want, but don't ask
questions because
I don't speak Spanish.
I can touch you wherever
I want but don't complain
too much because I've got
boots and kick--if I have to,
and I have handcuffs.
Oh, and a gun.
Get ready, get set, run.

II
Let's play La Migra
You be the Border Patrol.
I'll be the Mexican woman.
Your jeep has a flat,
and you have been spotted
by the sun.
All you have is heavy: hat,
glasses, badge, shoes, gun.
I know this desert,
where to rest,
where to drink.
Oh, I am not alone.
You hear us singing
and laughing with the wind,
Agua dulce brota aqui,
aqui, aqui, but since you
can't speak Spanish,
you do not understand.
Get ready.

1. Mexican slang word referring to U.S. border patrol agents (a shortened version of the word immigration).