WEBVTT

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These are called
buttress tree roots.

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I thought they were fascinating.

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OK, take note of that bird
because she's in the next poem.

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Does anyone here still
read Pedro Paramo,

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the great book by Juan
Rulfo, the Mexican writer.

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If you haven't ever read
Pedro Páramo, treat yourself.

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Anyway, Getting Away.

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"We sidewind inside
clouds along ridgelines

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dividing waters that shed east
from waters that shed West.

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In Paramo, which I
know only from Pedro,

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the Paramo from Comala,
hometown so hot dead folks

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arriving in Hell go back
to get their blankets.

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In the Talamancas, rufous-naped
sparrows shove mashed-up worms,

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beak to beak.

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We glide down, down,
to the Tarcoles river,

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where 20 crocs per kilometer
make their ancient living

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except here at the bridge
where dozens of huge ones snap

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and shove, chomp down
junk that people throw.

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Around the bend, spoonbills rosy
and plump strain a rivermuck.

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By treadless tires, wood storks
hunker, shoulders hunched.

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Quick plovers and stilts
pace cuneiform messages.

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Green herons call,
call downriver then

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follow their voices.

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Lone royal egret paces very
near to half-submerged relics

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plastered in mud.

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They're sharp toothed,
zap fast, fuerte.

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But she can lift up
pout of silt and soar."

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