Two Poems from the Pandemic Summer of 2020

 Melinda Palacio

These two poems were published in Ana Castillo's zine La Tolteca 2.0 July 24, 2020. In future posts, I  will feature more of my newer published poems that might have been overlooked this year. 

Unbox Me

Melinda Palacio

And the people were told to stay home and isolate.

When days turned to months,

The lonely took to the streets,

Remembered words like Revolution, Freedom, and Viva.

They shaped a multilingual future,

Chose love and sacrifice over comfort and security.

You don’t know that I am Black,

Que todos me dicen en el negro, Llorona,

That I am your daughter.

All you see is a smile in a red dress,

Someone who breathes, takes your space.

Respeta mi existencia, o espera resistencia.

You know the hidden story.

You don’t have to pay 23andMe to see

There’s more than hair color that binds us.

While nine minutes can make a baby,

The slow tick-tock can break a man. 

Sibling Rivalry

Melinda Palacio

My mother’s hands replace me.

Go help your brother.

The right mess tries to pick up a cup, 

settles for a pencil, the left hand helps.

She scribbles a list, a secret only she can read.

Her children are finger puppets with no names.

Who needs names when only the left child behaves.

The travieso brother always needs help.

Levanta esa babosada!

Curled brown knots on her lap. 

The children play tug-of-war.

You are the only two left.

Soon, you will turn into birds and leave.

She sighs, holds back toughened tears. 

Her eyes fail to meet me, her middle child.