Poetry is way of how people express themselves. "Two Mexicanos Lynched In Santa Cruz, California,May, 3, 1877" by Martin Espada is based off of a photograph. He uses imagery within his writing so the readers can visualize the event. Though the topic of the poem is very dark it can be found enjoyable.
   Martin Espada uses imagery to describe an event so the readers can visualize it. In the second stanza he wrote, "Dangling in bowed mute humility of the condemned." This shows how depressing and embarrassing it was to be hanged. And readers can relate. This poem is heartbreaking though but I felt no sympathy for the fact that both of them had killed men, women and children.
     He uses imagery again in is poem to describe a part of the event so the readers can visualize it. In the third stanza he wrote, "Or the guitar plucking skeletons/ they will become on Dia de los Muertos." This is a holiday highly celebrated by Mexicans and is also very religious. On this holiday people would leave food out for the dead to "eat" and paint their faces like skulls and add flowers. It is day of reflecting.
   He uses imagery once more in his poem to describe an event so the readers can visualize the event. In the fourth stanza he wrote, "From the shade of bowler hats,/ but all crowding into the photograph." This shows that the rich barely care about what is going on but are desperate to be shown in the newspaper. This happens even today in the real world.
   This text makes me realize it is really cruel out there in the world. The two people hanged were murderers and a small child had helped hanging them. I like this poem, (Though it gives me the creeps). Hope you readers get to read the poem.
  This was the photo by the way.