In 2019, around 100 IWC volunteers went to Laredo to join our collaborators there for Bold Border Action, a daylong event that included a Riverside memorial service for those who had died crossing the Rio Grande. Present at that event was Nephtalí de Leon, who created the poem below on his drive down. Now that same poet has become our city’s sixth Poet Laureate, an appointment celebrated with a ceremony at City Council Chambers on April 10th.
River of Life
(Grand River, Brave River)
Standing in the waters of the River
Laredo, Texas, USA, 10/26/2019
© Nephtalí De León
Ay! Rio que arrullas
las almas de mi pueblo
facilmente podria odiarte
pero no es tu culpa
Oh River that rocked
my people’s souls to sleep
I could so easily hate you
but it’s not your fault….
Read the poem here.
