The night we left,
The night we ran,
There was nowhere else to go.
Nowhere but the river,
And the far unknown shore.
The moon was forbidding.
The stars without warmth.
As we waded into the shallows.
My son.
My daughter.
Both were afraid, pretended to be brave.
Pretended they understood.
The water was cold.
Deep and fast.
But I knew to hold them close.
Knew to grip their hands until my fingers were numb.

Have you seen them?
Mis hijos?
My heart, my hope, my joy?
They are waiting for me to find them.
Waiting for their mother.
Somewhere on the shore.

The moon did nothing.
The stars chose to watch.
As we fought against the current.
Shouted through the roar of the muddy waves.
The water was so cold.
So deep, so fast.
As callous and as cruel as the one who betrayed me.
Abandoned me for another.
Then threatened to take them away.
His son.
His daughter.
Sus hijos.
As if I were nothing.
No one.

He does not remember
once he called me his moon.
He sang to me under the stars.
Wove orchids in my hair.
Laughed in my arms on the banks of a smiling river.
He does not remember
once he loved me.
He loved me as I love him.

The water was too cold.
Too deep, too fast.
But I tried to hold them close.
Tried to grip their hands though my fingers were already numb.
Only a few more steps. . .
Only a few more steps until we reach the shore.
Have you seen them?
Mis hijos?
My heart, my hope, my joy?
They were here.
Then they were gone.
Nothing.
No one.
Nothing but the howl of the rushing waves.

How long have I wandered?
How long have I paced this restless shore?
Searching for my heart, my hope, my joy?
While the moon accuses,
While the stars mock and whisper:
You did not hold them close.
You did not grip their hands.
You let them go.
You let them drown.
To punish him.
For revenge.
No!
No.

They are here.
Somewhere on the shore.
My son.
My daughter.
Who look so much like their father.
It was only a few more steps.
Only a few more steps.
They must have gone ahead.
They must be waiting.
Waiting for me to find them.
Somewhere the moon and stars cannot see.