El Español es espíritu, el Ingles es material
By Federico Anaya Sánchez
English is matter, just matter—
Something that floats—
Invisible or visible, a tool—
Necessity of flesh and business,
A thought of clean tongues,
white language,
Teutonic speech.
Spanish is breath
and blood,
the face becoming the thought,
calling forth the hands
in particular tones.
It is a pilgrimage
Through all Latin countries
where lisps are beloved,
s’s, disavowed,
r’s, chameleons,
and everyone knows
how to roar.
In Spanish, kiss me
is one word. Sí has a sea of meanings,
and you can feel heat
beating from the
o in sol.
And no one loves
Cars and houses—
only people,
their land and their God.