things that shine in the night

from "The Bordercrosser's Pillowbook"

Fulgencio's silver crown—when he snores
the moon, coin of Judas, glaring
at the smaller metals we call stars
my buckle
the tips of my boots
the stones in my kidneys
an earring
a tear on the cheek
the forked paths of a zipper
the blade of the pocketknife triggering open
the blade of the pocketknife seducing the orange
the blade of the pocketknife salivating
the blade of the pocketknife
the word México
the word migra

Copyright © 2013 by Rigoberto González. From Unpeopled Eden (Four Way Books, 2013). Reprinted from Split This Rock’s The Quarry: A Social Justice Poetry Database.