Vecindad

The roosters keep crowing
until late afternoon.
Usually dogs are barking
in multi-pitched dialects.
Birds call from dawn to dusk.
People on the street
greet each other,
and children’s high voices
play in doorways all day.
But the best is the music.
Mexican rancheras
float up from the street.
Every day music in the air
joins us.

Jovita hears it
Cristina hears it
Filomena hears it
Even while each of us
goes about our business,
Jose and Irene and Cecelia,
we are gathered up
into the listening.
Music floating up
keeps us company.
Also dogs. Roosters.
Birds. Children.
This symphony
gathers us up and creates
a neighborhood.

©Susa Silvermarie 2020