Steven Alvarez

Un/Documented, Kentucky
con papeles / con dignidad

0:03to my left is Appalachicano see & down the canyon just six miles in 
0:07a thousand people oh it’s citizenship—
0:09one senses the isolation of citizenship in Appalachicano seen the twin mining
0:13communities nestled in the corner mountains—
0:15the history this area has been a history of struggle—
0:18labor struggle—
0:21do—
0:25do—
0:28since the turn of the century—when the club dinner in A district was the first
0:31major coal producer in Kentucky—

Un/Documented, Kentucky
get home & you just want

I get home & you just want to give us all—
on an article—or downstream—on our local website . . .  at yr news website
that client he—
any—& that’s where they were talking abt
giving illegal immigrants the privilege to grab legally
our liberty okay . . . here’s the only problem I have w. this—
they come to ol’ Kentucky home illegally—
they are not legal residents—
if they got in this country illegally what makes you think
that they’re a gonna follow our laws & actually get a license?
another point abt beaners
as employees . . .
who all our others—upon it by—
this day or part of an elected official—cash at a—
our record—&—a—to allow these people
privileges—they have no loyalties—
left back tooth & nail because . . . who cares?
& when illegals try to get licensed
like Adam all over India—
these unvisaed brown people I’ve never heard of from San Something or other come to this country illegally much less . . .
traveled rail much . . .
whether it be for all if they did issue a very large . . .
or will it be aiding & abetting . . .
to unknown—
trace yr citizenship line—that’s my boy—
why because there’s so many of them now—we all are certain—
have to forget Kentucky is America you know—
all what damn in tar coming from down south—
another shot those allowed these people to continuously come to this country
& we know they’re here illegally they shd immediately
be deported—as something it just bothers me—
a black bear trap master helps to make & me
in our elected officials alternate—
give citizenship to people who have no business being in this country at all in
the first place—
what next government-sponsored parish schools I can really see that one had
I’m sorry I just had climb on show
but sez more than again—this is the old mate you’ll take care
may God bless & remember illegal
immigration is not a stitch—
faith does not deserve & miss—
what they deserve is departing
god bless stay safe

Steven Alvarez

Steven Alvarez is the author of The Pocho Codex and The Xicano Genome, both published by Editorial Paroxismo. His chapbook Six Poems from the Codex Mojaodicus was awarded the Rane Arroyo poetry prize by Seven Kitchens Press. He is an Assistant Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies at the University of Kentucky.

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