[1]Throats thick with tobacco and mezcal.Reverberations of violence,ecstasies and transformations.Sizzle of nopales on the grill.[2]Roaming downtown EP after the OP,full of drink and the taste of men—noche de ronda, frightening awakea black dove before dawn.[3]En el instante of beingin two landstocayowas it loss you felt?Does a body crossingmark across the body?[Chorus]América America,brazos de aguaswinging from the boughs—del aire al aire thevaried carols I hear—[4]Tia abuela Ñeca rolls out risingballs of dough in Arizona,tortillas off the comal,dozens of fresh empanadas laidout for the sticky fingers of a childwho pledges allegiance to a flageach day in school.[5]Along the railroad trackone foot in front ofthe other on the rusted outrail beneath Mt Cristo Rey,pennies laid out, waitingfor the thrill of a roilingtingle as the train rushes by,flattening whatwas worth so littleto him.[6]A penny savedis a penny less of frijolesfor dinner,Tencha states,slaving over a stovetop,getting a college degree.[7]Young fleshFriday night in Juárez,delicious cumbia raízoff her hips,the beat shakes—Lupe cuttingup the dance floor.[Chorus]América America,brazos de aguaswinging from the boughs—del aire al aire thevaried carols I hear—[8]Sauce de cristal-formed timestone in the sun-old capital, son of Aztec and colonizerholding out a hand to touch its edge. Chingado nietode La Malinche reaching up to grasp for the meaningof blood hating blood in one vein.[9]I don’t like spics, says the brown boysitting at an overlook on Transmountain,I like that you look white;or,I don’t know why they sent her,the boss says,I’ve already met my quota.[10]On a cliffside bus,Veinte poemas in his lap,condor lazing among theheights above Iruya.[Chorus]América America,brazos de aguaswinging from the boughs—del aire al aire thevaried carols I hear—[11]A home made inthe pass between the mountains.[12]A 3 coo-weaved-counterpointat odds and in harmony,refusing to be caged.[13]She singssing to me, cántame.But I tell myself it really meanssing me to me.Make of me a song.[Chorus]América America,brazos de aguaswinging from the boughs-del aire al aire thevaried carols I hear—