Dancing in Buses

Pretend a boom box blasts
over your shoulder. Raise
your hands in the air. Twist them
as if picking mangos. Look
to the right as if crossing
streets. Look to the left,
slowly as if balancing orange
baskets. Bend as if picking
cotton. Do the rump. Straighten
up as if dropping firewood. Rake,
do the rake. Sweep,
do the sweep. Do the Pupusa-
Clap—finger dough clumps. Clap.
Do the Horchata-Scoop—
your hand's a ladle, scoop.
Reach and scoop. Now,
duck. They're shooting. Duck
under the seat. Tighten.
Deceive. Don't breathe.

¡Hands behind your head!
¡Drop down!
¡Look at the ground!
¡Don't look up!
¡Roll over!
¡Face the scope's mouth!
¡Do the opened-mouth!
¡Flinch!
¡Do the protect-face-with-hand!
¡Don't scream!