Ontiveros From El Paso — matthew stein

Verse 1

Little Ontiveros
Bare feet on the hot front yard
Abuela yelling “vente mijo”
As the sky turns orange and dark
Dust on his jeans
Tire swing creaks in the breeze
Border patrol lights in the distance
Like ghosts between the trees

Chorus

Ontiveros from El Paso
La frontera in his veins
Half his heart en español
Half lost on the interstate
He says “un día I’ll cruzar”
Mientras mira el desert glow
Pero siempre será ese niño
Ontiveros from El Paso

Verse 2

Mama folding laundry
Telenovela on low
Daddy driving semis
Chasing miles he’ll never own
Taco stand Fridays
Two dólares in his hand
“Gracias, señor” with a shy smile
Dreams bigger than that land

Chorus

Ontiveros from El Paso
La frontera in his veins
Half his heart en español
Half lost on the interstate
He says “un día I’ll cruzar”
Mientras mira el desert glow
Pero siempre será ese niño
Ontiveros from El Paso

Bridge

He leaves for San Antonio
With a duffel and a prayer (ay, Dios)
“Cuida a mi familia”
As the Greyhound cuts the air
Pero en cada truck stop window
Cuando mira su reflejo
Oye el grito de su barrio
“Esto siempre será tu pueblo”

Chorus

Ontiveros from El Paso
La frontera in his veins
Half his heart en español
Half lost on the interstate
He says “un día voy pa’ casa”
Cuando huela el viento seco
Porque siempre será ese niño
Ontiveros from El Paso

Outro

Porque siempre será ese niño
Nuestro Ontiveros
De El Paso