I Witnessed a Moment of Pride

the first things i notice about guate palm trees line the runway a single international terminal traffic congested stoplights horizontal young boys walk hand-in-hand everywhere the city looks safer when you're not alone in a country that posts rifle-bearing guards at the doors of its banks

on the road to pana private schools behind barbed-wire-topped gates ball moss on all the electrical wires and billboards utility poles even rocks bear the marks of political parties patriota lider maiz

in pana every cafe television shows the youth world cup while i am distracted bemoaning my american world the winning goal

a shout rises from everywhere guate guate guate