Poem - "Celebrating my Independence Day"

Today, I’m celebrating my Independence Day…

By remembering an argument I had with this guy sophomore year
He told me people of color could not be racists
He’s an idiot

By remembering the look on my girl’s face when I played her my track
She told me “it is nice”
She didn’t like it

By remembering getting high with my buddy and making beats using a stolen sample CD
We made five tracks
We thought it was dope

By remembering unemployed debaucheries on late Tuesday nights
I said yes to a lot of things
I got in trouble

By thinking of those who do, who write, who paint, who speak
By thinking of the moments of nirvana during the most carnal of events
By thinking of the critics, the thinkers, and students who teach me independence

"We Can See Ghosts (una despedida a mi tio)"

We can see ghosts

And talk to the dead in our dreams
We see events with our eyes closed
And learn of upcoming nows

We can also feel someone else’s pain
And receive messages using no sight or sound
We deny these cuentos out of fear
Yet, accept them when they happen to us

It scares me to know that we have family reunions in the dark
And there are conversations taking place around me
That my tia sits at the foot of the bed while I sleep
That we are loved by spirits

It scares me so much that I do not wish this on anyone else
Yet, I cannot help but take pride
That we can see ghosts
And talk to the dead in our dreams

RIP Tio Memo

My Remedy for the Overbomardment of Ideology...

Too much theory makes a person weary
Too much action leaves you with little satisfaction

Too many words leaves a man unheard
Too quiet and you cannot start a riot

Sly and even is my way through each season
We both end up smiling, but for different reasons

An Ode to Normal

Oh Normal, how plain you are!!
I won't miss you at all, even when I'm far

For no matter the distance
or how far I steered

If it weren't for you Normal
I wouldn't be Weird

Impetus

At an early age, I knew that my father broke a lot of rules by not taking us to church on Sundays. I also knew he was the ‘badboy’ and my mom was the ‘goodie goodie’. I also knew that when he played records on Sunday, Sister Sledge was not the same as Creedance Clearwater Revival.

I also knew at an early age that my grandmother broke rules, sacred ones. I remember seeing her slow movements and brittle bones become healed for three minutes as she danced with my aunt to Chubby Checker and Bill Haley and the Comets. I remember hearing stories of her being ‘naughty’ cause she liked that Black Rock and Roll Music. I remember being told she arrived first to the United States, and not my grandfather. I remember stories of her going to house parties dancing to Black “Merengue” with Black Latinos.

I listened to Hip Hop, studied Black literature, danced to Jungle, dyed my hair blue, argued with my teachers, argued with my family. I remember seeing drugs on tables and reading my schoolbooks on the bus to college. It’s these lampposts that remind me I’m a rulebreaker that I come from a family of rulebreakers.

The veil was on when this was written.

"Poem for Tia Rosa"

I don’t know why the rain didn’t come yesterday

Yesterday was a beautiful day
The sun moving in and out of clouds
Giving us a loving warmth each time she was open and free

The light breeze touched our skin like a tease, letting us know she was there amongst us, only to leave us right when we began to appreciate her.

Yesterday was a beautiful day
Yet, her air was dry
Warmth too harsh for some

Her harsh warmth made you walk away from home, making you believe it was your cousin, your mom’s fault…

So the rain is here today, and yesterday is gone
All this water could have saved her

A little too late for some,
Just in time for others,

In the end the rain came on time…
… never has water been so precious to me...

Only if she could have mustered enough strength to let the rain in, to let it wash away the fire.

"To my Latino Higher Education Professionals"

"ahem, ahem"

Wear your brown garments with pride!
Tighten that brown tie made with shiny silk
Straighten that pretty skirt with beige trim
Wear your brown guayaberas, sashes, and gowns "con orgullo"

I want to see you strut like the Emperor and Empress you are!
Looking upon everyone, showing off your scratches and bruises
Citing your wisdom and sage that can be seen on page 456b of this month's journal
Be that King and Queen that you are, for all of us to see in awe.

I also want to see you strut!
I want to see you speak and act as that Empress you wish to be
Pass laws, give decrees, and make bold statements for sheep to follow you

Act like every other Emperor I've seen!
Oppress, impart, impose, impede on the gifts and contributions of others
Forget my name, forget my story, forget it all, but revel in your own
The language, the walk, the words you speak are just like every other King or Queen

Oppressive,
Established,
Pedigree,
Classy,

I, and the rest of us, notice your brown shoes lost their shine,
You walk in front of me naked like the day you were born
I see nothing but your strut, your 'position', and your merits
And your brown clothes are all but disappeared…

In the end, you wear your invisible clothes pretty well my friend
Your badges and symbols of credibility cannot be seen
All I see is you… naked, like the day you were born
Frankly, it is sad to see you walk like a King, the walk of power, the walk of conceit and self

Me? I am perfectly fine standing here, not moving, with the rest of the town all around me…
Looking at you walk (to your Ivory Tower) away from us... normal folk

"Para ti"

You grew up alone and beautiful sweetheart
It took everyone else to catch up to you
I’m happy I did… (for a little bit)

Life hurt you my dear
You did what you could (wrote it down, showed love, gave everyone that beautiful smile)
I’m honored you shared with me

And I’m sorry I hurt you too my love
Unlike you, I was behind, slow to see, impatient to continue
I’m hopeful that you enjoyed my company.