by drea chicas (Painting: “Infinite Horizon” by Anne Packard)

This is where I am from

I am from you have an accent, you’re not from here, so we went back to our country

I am from coffee farms in El Salvador as far as your eyes can see

I am from sopa de gallina

Break that chicken’s neck, because we’re hungry

I am from rivers de agua viva, give us back its waters, because we’re thirsty

I am from callused hands picking lettuce and fruit of our best harvest

They stole our land, so we fought back

I am from cumbias frescas sazonadas with gospel and live jazz

I am from no tenes pelos en la lengua

“Razor edges on her tongue” (LHL)

I am from red, white, and blue, ella la Americana

Blue with melancholy, mourning murdered sons on red stained pavement  

I am from libraries of indigenous and african warriors, story-telling your future

I am from a highly educated Mami of a bended knee theology

I am the curious seed of a learner, Papi’s boxing legacy

I am from a healing people, the Great Physician has come for us

Carrying tamales and pupusas de queso

I am from children chanting in the streets, Freedom, Freedom we want freedom, AND we hear them, that is where I am from

 

drea chicas, who prefers her entire name spelled in the lower case, lives, works and worships in South Seattle and blogs here.