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Neighborhood of Sunday night jamaicas
at Guadalupe Church. 
Fiestas for any occasion
holidays holy days happy days
'round and 'round the promenade 
eating snowcones--raspas-& tamales
the games--bingo cakewalk spin-the-wheel
making eyes at girls from cleaner neighborhoods
the unobtainables
who responded all giggles and excitement. 

Neighborhood of forays down to Buena Vista---
Santa Rita Courts--Los Projects---friendly neighborhood
cops n' robbers on the rooftops, sneaking peeks
in people's private night-time bedrooms
bearing gifts of Juicy Fruit gum for 
the Project girls/ chasing them in adolescent heat
causing skinned knees & being run off for the night 
disenchanted walking home affections spurned 
stopping stay-out-late chicks in search of 
Modern Romance lovers, who always stood them up
unable to leave their world in the magazines' pages. 
Angry fingers grabbing, squeezing, feeling, 
french kisses imposed; close bodily contact, Thigh &
belly rubbings under shadows of Cristo Rey Church. 

Neighborhood that never saw a school-bus
the cross-town walks were much more fun
embarrassed when acquaintances or friends or relatives
were sent home excused from class
for having cooties in their hair!
Did only Mexicans have cooties in their hair? 
¡Que gacho!

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Neighborhood of Zaragoza Park 
where scary stories interspersed with 
inherited superstitions were exchanged 
waiting for midnight and the haunting 
lament of La Llorona---the weeping lady 
of our myths & folklore---who wept nightly 
along the banks of Boggy Creek 
for the children she'd lost or drowned 
in some river (depending on the version).
i think i heard her once 
and cried 
out of sadness and fear 
running all the way home nape hairs at attention
swallow a pinch of table salt and 
make the sign of the cross 
sure cure for frightened Mexican boys. 

Neighborhood of Spanish Town Café
first grown-up (13) hangout 
Andrés, 
tolerant manager, proprietor, cook
victim of bungling baby burglars
your loss: Fritos n' Pepsi Colas---was our gain
you put up with us and still survived! 
You, too, are granted immortality. 

Neighborhood of groups and clusters 
sniffing gas, drinking muscatel 
solidarity cement hardening
the clan the family the neighborhood the gang
NOMAS!

Restless innocents tattoo'd crosses on their hands 
"just doing things different" 
"From now on, all troublemaking mex kids will be
sent to Gatesville for 9 months."
Henry home from La Corre 
khakis worn too low--below the waist 
the stomps, the greña with duck-tail
---Pachuco Yo--- 
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