Tag: identity

Identity

I’m more than rice and beans

Soy latina

but what does that mean?

Spanish is what I speak

but it doesn’t define my

ethnicity

Roots

Part

Indigena

European

African

All come together

in one tree

 

Accents unique

in 20 countries

some leaving it all behind

in pursuit of the American Dream

Spanglish starts

to drip from

our lips

But the rhythmn of el tambor

hits the soul

unconsciously moving

the hips

Reminder of home

 

Soy latina

But what does it mean?

It means

Love to all mi gente

Del pasado

futuro

y presente

Amor a la patria

Que viva la raza

Maktub

It starts with a word

A whisper from the soul

Threads phrases into lines

That sometimes rhyme

 

Dreams and reality converge

On the page, poet’s canvas

For word play. Designing

Immortality’s stage

 

Fulfill stardust destiny

Of spreading art from

Sea to sea. Can’t stop

Words keep coming to me

 

Giving new eyes

From which to see

This lens pushes

My pen

 

Looking around

Haikus, tankas, odes

And verse all waiting

To be found

 

 

Transcribing the ordinary

To images and sound

Understanding simplicity

Is profound

 

Studying the greats

Neruda, Storni, y Marti

Their verses hold the

Key of poetic divinity

 

Reading, writing, reciting

Writing, reciting, reading

Reciting, reading, writing

Blissful insanity

 

And so line by line

I’m going to take this

World, and make it

mine

Mecca

I dreamed of

Machu Picchu

the voices of

my ancestors

calling to my soul

evoking past life

memories.

Royalty, daughter

of the sky

standing by

mama ocllo’s side.

Constructed our

masterpieces in

stone

Regal and adorned

in gold. Our empire

vast and wide

We lived on top

of the mountains

civilization on the rise

Inti nuturing

the land

cultivated to feed

all

of

its

people

no hunger

observing the cosmos

masters in astrology.

Protective mist, shield

against the ignorance

and the weapons

they would wield.

green serenity

time escapes in

temple of the sun

Inca’s sanctuary

for fun.

wonder

just

wonder

If they never came

Quechua would

fountain flow

from our mouths

but history weighs,

colossal structure

now slowly

descending back

to Earth.

When this life

cycle ends, send

my ashes back

My spirit knows

the way.

Identity

Soy poeta flor

Switch Español and English

Different parts of soul

Lily Peruana

Flower war

my name for

those who can’t

speak Español

 

Peruana roots

developed in

American ground

Spanglish is my sound

 

Bonita flor growing

under Inti sol

one taste of mi amor

Leaves to crave more

 

Delicate y calmada

Until mistreated then

You can drown

In Mar Brava

 

Only truths to be told

Lily’s fragrance can’t be

ignored.  I’ve battled

to become quien Soy.

 

 

Una poeta flor

Living unafraid

Writing realities

to cause waves.

 

**************************************

 

Peruvian Lily

Flower war

my name for

those who can’t

speak Español

 

Peruvian roots

developed in

American ground

Spanglish is my sound

 

Pretty flower growing

under Inti sun

one taste of my love

Leaves to crave more

 

Delicate y calm

Until mistreated then

You can drown

In Mar Brava**

 

Only truths to be told

Lily’s fragrance can’t be

ignored.  I’ve battled

to become who I am.

 

 

A flower poet

Living unafraid

Writing realities

to cause waves.

 

 

** Beach in Peru with rough currents

 

What’s in a name?

Nombre

 

La poeta flor y flower

poet guide the pen to

separate ends.

 

Two points of views. 

negative and positive

attitudes.  Which is

best, up to you.

 

Flower poet

romantic

but hardly

shows it

 

La poeta flor

Dice el amor

Es ¡superior!

 

Flower poet

Hates her name

Wish it would

Drown in the rain

 

¿Qué? La flor

Existe y crece

Bajo el sol

 

 

Flower Poet

Plots to kill

all red roses

and daffodils

 

Poeta flor existe

para compartir amor

Sin temor

 

Poets nacen de papel.

Which is best is up

to the pen.

 

 

 

 

 

Translation

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

 

La poeta flor* y flower

poet guide the pen to

separate ends.

 

 

Two points of views. 

negative and positive

attitudes.  Which is

best, up to you.

 

 

Flower poet

romantic

but hardly

shows it

 

 

La poeta flor

says love is

superior

 

 

 

Flower poet

Hates her name

Wish it would

Drown in the rain

 

 

What? under the sun

Flowers exist

and grow.

 

 

Flower Poet

Plots to kill

all red roses

and daffodils

 

 

Poeta flor exists to

share love with no

fear

 

 

 

Poets are born from paper.

Which is best, is up

to the pen.

 

 

 

* La poeta flor is flower poet.