print previewback JACQUELINE BALDERRAMA
Canción de Cuna
—a lullaby for children affected by the 2018 Zero Tolerance Policy
Outside, past the ceiling, la luna, lunera
shines up and down the long, dark road.
There, the tails of frogs begin to disappear
with the hum Sana sana colita de rana.
And there, the chicks in the cold are saying, pío, pío, pío.
There, the branches of wild plums let fall
their little fruits for crickets and a hungry mouse.
And there, somewhere your mother is singing to you.
Arrurrú and goodnight and prayers
on the rosary of her fingertips.
Nuestra Señora de las Lágrimas / Our Lady of Tears
may we all grow a little more by daylight
as does the olive, as does the orchard. 
Canción de Cuna
Zero, 2018