“— ninety thousand children crossing the border in the last three years what thirst what listening what refuge what desert harbor what desert keeps at bay what keens what dims what signals we cannot read what enforcement what filament what unmoved substrata what bleeds unregulated despite the body what will not bend will not sleep will not touch lightly with fingertip or tongue tip what we carry in a pocket radiating thudding what we lose in neglect what we lose in death what accidents build while we look the other way”
From Jen Hofer’s, “Conditions”
Read Jen Hofer ‘s poems, “Conditions” at PEN America here. I was honored to work with the wonderful Mexican poet Román Luján to translate it into Spanish as “Condiciones,” in consultation with Jen. Thank you to PEN America and TC Tolbert for publishing this work.
Vickie Vértiz 