Archive of New Mexico Poetry – Franci Washburn

Red Visitors in White Border Towns

We’re driving east to Martin town and we’re going to take:
Money to buy food. ($67.93).
We’re riding south to Gallup and we’re going to take:
Money to buy food. ($67.93), and
Get out of jail free card. (one).
We’re thumbing west to Seattle and we’re going to take:
Money to buy food. ($67.93), and
Get out of jail free card (one), and
Very thick skins. (Ours).
We’re walking north to Kalispell and we’re going to take:
Money to buy food. ($67.93), and
Get out of jail free card (one), and
Very thick skins, (Ours), and
Masks to hide our feelings. (One each).
And when we are safe on the rez again, we will:
Eat fried potatoes and canned creamed corn, and
Make up another get out of jail free card for next time, and
Brush the dirt off our very thick skins, and
Drop our masks and cry, and
Pretend that it doesn’t matter.

About the Poet
Franci Washburn is a graduate student in the American Studies Department at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Of Lakota/Anishanaabe/Irish/Scots heritage, she grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Presently, she is working on a novella and a book of poetry.