Typewriter Rodeo: “Border Crossings”

Each week, the Standard reaches out to Austin’s Typewriter Rodeo for a custom poem on Texas topics.

By David Fruchter August 25, 2017 9:49 am,

So much of Texas life, its economy and culture is intertwined with its neighbor to the south. But over 180 years after Texas declared independence from Mexico, the border between them brings up strong feelings an opinions about immigration and cross-cultural exchange.

Border Crossings

give us your tacos, your peppers

your masa and corn

but hold back your people

for those we do scorn

we’ll wear a sombrero

on the fifth of each May

but your poor hungry children:

please make them stay

it’s like some conundrum

that no one has solved

how we believe they’re so lazy

but still take our jobs

the desert is wide

and they cross without charts

but how much harder to get past

the wall

in our hearts

Produced by Laura Rice and Leah Scarpelli.