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Edward Wells II



Setting


The river stopped being a river before She began to be
It is a thick lush green. I muse '...walking on...'

I'm told that when it rains for three days or more the water flows
in the river. There is a rainy season here and three days is said as though
it isn't a lot. This year is different though, warmer and perhaps dryer.

Life is different here: the thick solid green river;
for fifteen cents I can get a stack of tortillias to last the day (fresh, warm);
if I get my advance tomorrow I will secure my place (one of two I have
     selected).

I look at the breads, the people, the buildings, the sky and I try to see the
culture, the collective, the past, the consciousness.
I see more individuals. I see individuals, like I did in The United States,
     like I did
in New Zealand. I can see the shaping that a construct creates.
Un vaso de Río. I see the differences that a construct distinguishes.
Un Río que establece.

We speak in class, breaking structures and words, passing something back
     and forth. I
might say that I understand no one here, or that I understand well for lack
     of a common
language. In no time the River has run its course. The rains will likely
     return and push
it away; down; down south of Federal No. 57 at La Cruz, Lomo de Toro;
     down to nothing, or perhaps underground and further
south, south of Pasa de Mata, again perhaps to nothing.

We are accumulating a way of understanding.




the rooster


corn tortillas and a banana are waiting
I roll over and look at the clock
cold night air has leaked in through cracked windows
the blanket is wrapped around Me as I lay on the mattress that lies on the
     floor
the rooster
I close my eyes in the upstairs room that has no ventilation duct
corn tortillas and a banana are waiting on my rolling bag I keep telling
     myself
there is nothing to it
to rise, to wait
the rooster - but it does this at 2:57 PM and 7:00 AM as well as now




Edward Wells II lives in Mexico and teaches English as a Foreign Language. His most recent book hawrs was published by Calliope Nerve. You can find his page on Facebook.

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