The Interpreter
asylum interview in Dilley, Texas 2019
In first person protocol
no omissions or additions
tongue and gums twist a path
saliva like ink to the press
ventriloquist for hire:
I’m the cold judge with a routine spiel
the lead respondent is deemed removable
I’m the nice lawyer asking the cruel questions
how many were there? how many times?
But mostly, I am her, the me that speaks
bloodshot ears, I mouth the horrors.
I see through the tear brimming
almost pick at the burn scars on her knuckles
look down at my notebook
when her eyes fall in shame,
why didn’t you go to the police?
we choke up,
I fake thirst so we both can catch our breath.
You steal a glance as if to plead
make my fear credible
I sneak a delicate nod and hope you read me:
I got you
The gavel drop breaks our bond.
Thankyous and goodbyes
God bless you and keep you safe
Home, I try to be just me again.
I shred the evidence:
pages where I said I was you
in half words, symbols, and scribbles
where my pen opened and closed wounds
fresh and old.
Only her, I can not shake
even after I scrub the stains from my hands.
Robin Ragan is a professor of Spanish at Knox College where she teaches translation and interpreting. She is a certified medical and legal interpreter who often works with survivors seeking asylum or other kinds of immigration relief in the United States.