For Vicente Fernandez
The dirt
The sweat
The horses,
Saddles off,
Brushed.
The girl who thinks she is pregnant.
The woman who is.
The man with no money is his pocket
The man with pockets full.
The man who stumbles.
The women who watch.
The broken hearts
The soon to be’s
The finger waggers
The I-will-nevers
The I-told-you so’s.
But listen!
Everything stops.
The world and its noise
And clatter and-
He sings!
Listen!
You can hear
The sound of falling in love
The quiet flames filling space
And space and space again.
The skirts swirl
The men dance when they couldn’t before.
El Charro!
El Charro!
Nothing is wrong
When we hear your voice
Fill the night
Across our lonely plains
And valleys and mountains.
Turn up the radio
Turn it up loud-
Loud.
El Charro sings!
El Rey!
He sings!
Two men walk down a dusty street
in Winslow, Arizona.
One places small white crosses
at the curb and recites names
while the other bears witness:
"Juan Fernando Lopez”
“Presente!”
“Maria Anna Ramos”
“Presente!”
“Jose Angel Fernandez”
“Presente!”
“Restos mortales” (Mortal remains)
“Presente!”
This continues until
that day’s accounting
of bodies found in the desert
is complete.
G-lobal
E-xpansion
L-ets
M-orbid
I-nfection
N-otoriously
A-pply
F-erocious
E-eriness'
R-abid
N-astiness
A-nd
N-oxious
D-irt's
E-xcruciation
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Gelmina Fernandez (June 08)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
D-ivine
E-xpression's
N-ice
N-ote
I-n
S-plendid
F-ashion
E-mploys
R-eader's
N-ame
A-s
N-atal
D-ay
E-ndorses
Z-est
Topic: Birthday of Dennis F. Fernandez (October 26)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
N-eatness
E-mploys
S-anitation
T-o
O-bliterate
R-abid
F-lu
E-rasing
R-isky
N-astiness
A-nd
N-otorious
D-isease's
E-pidemic
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Bro. Nestor M. Fernandez (May 02)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
P-oetic
R-emembrance
I-n
N-ice
C-elebration
E-mploys
S-weet
S-tatement
J-ust
A-pplying
N-oble
I-dea's
C-reative
E-xpression
F-or
E-xcellent
R-eader's
N-ame
A-s
N-atal
D-enotation
E-ndorses
Z-est
Topic: Birthday of Princess Janice A. Fernandez (November 27)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
J-ust
A-void
I-nfection
L-etting
Y-ourself
N-icely
F-ight
E-pidemic's
R-aging
N-astiness
A-s
N-eatness
D-enies
E-nemy
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Jailyn A. Fernandez (April 10)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
R-eader
O-f
S-weet
A-crostic
L-ets
I-t
E-rase
F-ret
E-njoying
R-apturous
N-ote
A-s
N-atal
D-ay
E-mploys
Z-est
Topic: Birthday of Rosalie Fernandez (December 12)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
G-reat
E-xpression
L-ets
M-use
I-n
N-obility
A-dvance
F-orm
E-mploying
R-ighteous
N-ote
A-bout
N-ame's
D-ivine
E-xcellence
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Gelmina Fernandez (June 08)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
N-oble
E-xpression
S-tarts
T-o
O-ffer
R-apturous
F-elicity
E-agerly
R-elieving
N-egativity
A-s
N-ice
D-elight
E-mploys
Z-est
Topic: Birthday of Bro. Nestor M. Fernandez (May 02)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
H-armony
A-nd
R-ight
L-ove
E-mploy
N-o
E-vil
F-eeling
E-ndorsing
R-eal
N-iceness
A-s
N-egative
D-eed
E-xits
Z-ealously
Topic: Birthday of Harlene Fernandez (September 18)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
J-ust
A-nother
N-ew
I-llumination
N-icely
E-ndorses
F-ine
E-arly
R-adiant
N-ature
A-s
N-ight
D-arkness
E-vades
Z-enith
Topic: Birthday of Janine A. Fernandez (September 06)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
M-orn
I-n
C-oolness
H-as
E-ndorsed
L-ovely
L-ight
E-rasing
J-inx
O-f
Y-our
F-oggy
E-vening
R-ain
N-icely
A-s
N-ew
D-awn
E-xpects
Z-enith
Topic: Birthday of Michelle Joy A. Fernandez (September 03)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
J-oy
O-f
R-hyme
G-lows
I-n
N-ame's
A-crostic
F-orm
E-rasing
R-ainy
N-ight
A-nd
N-egative
D-arkness'
E-vening
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Jorgiña D. Fernandez (June 30)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
G-lowing
E-arly
L-ight
M-akes
I-t
N-ice
A-gain
F-or
E-ach
R-ay
N-ot
A-llowing
N-ight's
D-ark
E-vening
Z-one
Topic: Birthday of Gelmina Fernandez (June 08)
Form: Vertical Monocrostic
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