Nopales
written by: Maria J. Estrada
@drmariajestrada
Don’t eat with steel fork
Eat with fingers, timeless maíz
Patted out with each heartbeat
By your madre and abuelas
Your soul weaved in saliva
One trozo at a time
Don’t drink Coke
Drink yerbabuena y café con leche
Café, ground in el metate
By your tíos and padrinos
Your tongue soaked in justice
One inhalation at a time
Don’t dream of tomorrow
With gold monedas and dollars as your path
Dream of el ranchito y los Aztecas
Dream of running through dusty calles
Filled with loud aspirations
Your eyes looking forward,
Hacia better world
Don’t cry tristeza
Over los fascistas y puta migra
When they come
Breaking through your front door
Like perros in heat
Tearing up the kitchen
Crushing your jarros with agua dulce
Using the bolillos to crack your teeth
Wrapping your tongue around your neck
In an ageless noose
Punching your eyes into a black blur
Wrenching your heart out with their laws–
As your children are
Ripped
Away
In a miscarriage of humanity
Don’t cry tristeza
Over los fascistas y puta migra
You are the nopal dream
They fear so much
Let them tremble.
- Red Wine, Roque - February 12, 2022
- Our Children’s Feet Like Stars - November 23, 2021
- Nopales - January 19, 2021
