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Living Legends
My Family
Living Legends refers to both my living family, and my ancestors who are now living through me. My living relatives teach me and amuse me daily and the stories we tell of each other will keep our memory alive long after we do. I've noticed that in our oral retelling of old stories some of our ancestors become characters rather than people. The gaps in these narratives are telling if you listen. This page features my attempts at holding space for my ancestors' personhood, and documenting it for my current family.
Wandering Soul
Where will my soul roam when she realizes she’s free? Will she revisit the scenes that made me? Warn Great Great Uncles that their lives would be spared for gifting revolutionaries with fresh horses Walk through snow with young Great Uncle and guide him to Globe or sit in the wagon with my Great Great Aunt and help her keep a baby Great Aunt warm Watch as teenage Tata Manuel convinces pre-teen Great Uncle Salvador to sell their father’s good pen for two train tickets to Arizona Wait with the makeshift orange crate crib where newborn Nana slept and shield her from mosquitos as Nana Antonio worked the fields Wipe the tears from Tata’s toddler eyes as he learns he has to leave home to get better Wrap my Mom in comfort so that when she finds out she’s having me she doesn’t feel alone Would she know to seek the answers to all the questions we’ve always had or would she wander empty school halls for the rest of eternity? *Inspired by Frederico’s Ghost, a poem from Rebellion is the Circle of a Lover’s hands by Martín Espada |
Resting Soul
When she realizes she’s free, my soul will rest in the scenes that made me She will hold on Tightly to Great Great Tia Diez And they will forever ride with solderas de la revolución She will watch and take notes from Great Diez Tias and recollect all the times our family was saved by the curandera twins She will sit and listen to Nana Antonia tell her own story and learn why nobody remembers how she liked her cafecito She will walk to the principal's office with my Nana Norma and cheer after she used a math book to beat the boy who lifted her skirt She will move boxes with My mom, Lisa and take them to a secret, new house away from the man who broke our things When my soul is free, she will rest with all the Matriarchs who made me |