LETTER TO AMERICA
By Francisco X. Alarcón
sorry for
the lag
in writing you
we were left
with few
letters
in your home
we were cast
as rugs
sometimes
on walls
though we
were almost
always
on floors
we served
you as
a table
a lamp
a mirror
a toy
if anything
we made
you laugh
in your kitchen
we became
another pan
even now
as a shadow
you use us
you fear us
you yell at us
you hate us
you shoot us
you mourn us
you deny us
and despite
everything
we
continue
being
us
America
understand
once and for all:
we are
the insides
of your body
our faces
reflect
your future
* * * * * * * *
CARTA A AMÉRICA
perdona
la tardanza
en escribirte
a nosotros
nos dejaron
pocas letras
en tu casa
nos tocó
ser tapetes
a veces
de paredes
pero casi
siempre
estuvimos
en el piso
también
te servimos
de mesa
de lámpara
de espejo
de juguete
si algo
te causamos
risa
en tu cocina
nos hiciste
otro sartén
todavía
como sombra
nos usas
nos temes
nos gritas
nos odias
nos tiras
nos lloras
nos niegas
y a pesar
de todo
nosotros
seguimos
siendo
nosotros us
América
entiende
de una vez:
somos
las entrañas
de tu cuerpo
en la cara
reflejamos
tu future
© Francisco X. Alarcón
From CUERPO EN LLAMAS / BODY IN FLAMES
(Chronicle Books 1990)
No comments:
Post a Comment