Listening and Searching through the Rubble

They called off the search 
to wait for the winds to pass,
the demolition to collapse 
the weight of concrete onto flesh 
to make it safer for the cadaver dogs
to locate their scent amidst the rubble.

They called their names out both
in English and professional Spanish,
mainly for show, mainly a memorial,
loudly at first, then just a mumbled prayer,
a ritual that kept them moving forward,
spelling it out on the required legal forms.

They knew they spoke the Spanish wrong,
just like the dead once spoke English wrong 
to their unattenuated ears.  

Yet unheard beyond the humming song inside,    
canine whines hits their crowns 
square, true and clear.