Anthology

EL HOMBRE CON NO CARA

Adelita Alonzo

 

El hombre con no cara.
He is the man with no face
who haunts little children in their sleep.
His hands are big, thick, dirty, and brown skinned.
His clothes are of long sleeved ragged button down shirts
and dirty dingy blue jeans with black stains.
His head is of nothingness, thick and hazy
like the fog before dawn.
He is a coward!
He comes to haunt little children,
little children like me.
A thief of the night!
El hombre con no cara esta` aqui!
I cry out, but no one hears me.
I try to run, but he is right behind me.
I lie in my sleep unable to move,
mute, eyes wide open.
No one can help me,
so I run.
There is a field ahead with bright red flowers.
I am running through it.
I feel the tall grass brushing against my legs.
El hombre con no cara!
El monstro!
El diablo!
There is a cliff ahead.
I am still running.
I cannot stop.
I am falling.
Down
Down
Down
My feet run no more.
I fear no more.
El hombre con no cara!
Binche` hombre con no cara!
I awake before I reach bottom.
Alas, I have survived once more.