James Tate




Village 104

The architecture, sleepy Mexican,
is afraid to go out.
Young couples go there to settle down
and not raise a family.
Retired people open shops
and refuse to sell anything.
It is an easy place to like
without really liking it.
You can get to know
without really knowing it.
It’s the invisible that is ruthless.
Somebody is going to grow up
and kill it, make a killing,
so you’ll never seem so lonesome.