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I Am

I am a first born      first generation American        Mexican My name derives from my father’s mother María Magdalena      and my mother’s mother Carmen My mother wanted                   Mayan moon goddess Itzel                   or Hebrew princess Sarah names with roots other than our own No one in my family calls me by my first name María                a Latin                             Hebrew name for sea of bitterness, rebellion My family only calls me by my middle name Carmen                a Spanish                                  Latin name for ...

The Children of the Home

The wall is yellow with spots of lines made by a pencil The orange wall across from it is filled with swirls of red and green color She sits on brown steps in-between these walls Concentrating on the images and the words of a song she plays and repeats on a phone. The kids laugh and play along One on the drums another la-la-ing words from a song The father plays scales on his bass and plays excerpts of the kids favorite songs Everyone is full of joy  It’s comforting to live in this moment,  There are no worries The afternoon storm has passed this home. “Pizza time! Pizza time!” the son yells to all who come through the door. “It has cheese and spinach and pepperoni” then says no more. The TV is loudly playing a show. “Teen Titans GO!”, he yells, singing along to the words of the theme song He sits quietly, enjoying his food  So transfixed is he,  That he doesn’t notice some pieces food has fallen to floor.

Carnales (after Terrance Hayes)

We’re like kids              running under shooting               red fire hydrants, us,      standing in transparent tanks & heavy shorts under our home’s gutter drain.  “My turn,”                I remember you say but I don’t move. Instead,                I close my eyes &                remember mom,      twirling in her long denim-blue dress              on our porch                             under the rain. Mom would take us                outside in the rain                to bathe together,    ...