The rooster sings to the sun,
answering the call is the light that embraces all.
All at once the birds sing their own song.

Awaken by mother's sweet voice.
"It's time to go" she says.
She hands me a  green cubeta con maiz.
The corn's color is purple and white instantly
I fall in love with its kind
The cold blue morning gives me chills.
I carry the bucket to my grandmother's house.

With her mandil and her braided hair,
she sits by the comal making tortillas.
"Good morning abueltia" with a smile on my face.
"Good morning m'ija" she replies.
I keep walking carrying the heavy bucket.

A small room next to a store crowded with senoras.
Their rebozos around their heads and arms and buckets in hand.
I feel so small so young but inside I'm proud.
I wait in line as I greet and make small talk.
These ladies have the nicest smiles.

My turn, I grab my cubeta and proceed to the molino.
My arms are too little.
A lady approaches and helps me load the molino.
I watch in awe as the grains turn in masa.
I bend down and collect it.
"En una bolita" the lady tells me to shape it.
I nod and continue to make it.

Gray like the color of my grandma's hair.
soft like my mother's hand.
I fill the bucket with the masa.
I thank las senoras and head back to mi casa.

I hand the bucket to my mom who was milking la vaca.
She starts the comal and gets the cal.
Her hands slapping the masa like she was clapping.
Perfect big round warm tortillas.
I was a little girl that helped her make them.
A little girl that still remembers.

Permission to speak, I am the ally of the silenced and unheard.
I am the noise you can't shake.
Two sharp points like the accents I carry on my tongue.
I slither and squirm as I observe what they have done to you.
It's a tragedy what they think of you and how arrogantly they use you for self proclaimed prophecies.
No! I am not that! I yell loudly, but only the echo replies.
Incarceration, deportation, degradation, gentrification some of the words that burn as I spit them out.  
False ideologies are accepted as realities ignoring the facts.
I am not illegal and you don't have the right to label or decide.
I am not a criminal, never was.
Don't obstruct my academic path, I will jump each and every obstacle one by one.
I was born free, you labeled and shackled me with lies and hatred but I broke loose.
With my forked tongue I battle your double sided knife.
I am not content with the destructive pattern that has emerged with your avarice.
I will not **** for you and I will not die in vain.
My snake like tongue has no mercy and will not cease until I see dignity and peace obtained.

White smoke dancing in the air
A pretty smile and the natural swaying of her hair.
Dark lips and a laugh that echoes in her head.
Thinking about what lies ahead
Keeping a straight face is harder than it seems.
For she has learned to fake
the difference of a smile and a tear
She can no longer make appear.
Living in her one way mentality
She resides next to fear and goes to  sleep with reality.
While having an affair with fantasia
This goes on daily it's impossible to interfere
But as dreams become sueños they turn into esperanza and that is all she needs to keep her fighting for la causa
The session is over but she's learned a new lesson
A reminder from her Spirits
"Don't forget where you came from
 and what you came for. "
Then she slowly disappears...

Prohibited and inhibited from the start.
Like a shooting star lighting up the night sky.
Your heart and mine talked, our minds instantly connected.
The tears from my eyes with your hands collected.
Our love is not right they say,
Our  love is misunderstood.
Another day goes by and we are still standing side by side.

Those who misunderstand try to to fill us up with guilt.
We would rather feel ourselves up with pleasure.
The love we feel they cannot begin to measure.
I am you and you are me so they cannot deny that we are meant to be.

They say silence is golden...
So where is the gold then?  
I've been silent but I don't see the profit....
I've been silent and I've been stepped on, trampled on and taken down from my throne.
I've been silent but no good comes my way.
I've been silent and everybody else gets their way.
I've been silently keeping the strains of everyday life wasting away and remaining within me.
I've been silent but I won't be silent anymore.
I raise my voice and speak for justice dignity equality and love.
Silence is not gold silence is copper easily found and not malleable.

Pour your heart out
And I'll collect it in a cup
Pour you're heart out
And I'll dissect it when you're done
Pour your heart out
and I'll heal it
As we talk...

I live by the moon
Change with its phases
I fly with the birds singing their tune
I walk with the stars holding their light
I pray with the mountains reaching for height
I keep moving the sea
I invoke all you see
I'm magic incarnate
My soul is a magnet
I'm movement and stillness
I'm concoction to illness
I burn sage with seashells
I watch wolf with intent, as she yells...