when I was in Japan,
I reached in my bag for yen,
I drew a coin with the Zia on it
given to me by a gem
as I stared at the cold breezy mountains of Japan holding this, I  was reminded of
The deep Roots of cracked hot concrete I would work out on
The smell of albondigas Nana would be making
The bright yellow and blue tile mismatched on the lining of the kitchen
The simpleness of living in a "this'll work" architecture
the tumbleweeds, the dry cacti landscape, vast dirt reaching to the dark amber mountains, painted with fading perfect blend from the sunset, homemade meals, la raza, tias and tios, the stray cats and dogs (and family pet names)

My Arizona desert was so hot that everything did its best to share being in the Cool casted shadows.

yet here I was in the complete opposite wishing for that sun
holding this coin brought be back to when you thought I would Judge where you were from
but your "Land of Enchantment" will always remind me of being one step closer to home...

Multicolored streamers and confetti
decorate the room.
They hang from the wineglass rack
and family members alike.
Frank Sinatra sings with all his might,
but the orchestra of noise makers and laughter
plays a more beautiful tune.

Eyes wide open and observant
I soak in la fiesta.
Poppa twirls Nenita
around the kitchen,
Uncle plays a tune on la guitara,
some sing along,
primos play Mother May I
in the hall,
and everyone drinks
to health,
to love,
to money,
and to time.

Papo cracks the champagne.
Las tias gather the troops
to prepare for the toast!
Los ninos lift empty glasses
“We want some too!”
receiving the un-intoxicating
alternative instead.
Wishing to be older.
Wanting the real thing.

A toast is said in unison,
for it is one we all know.
It is one that I am old enough for.
“Salud, amor, pesetas, y
tiempo para gastalo”
then we all drink
to health
to love
to money
and time to enjoy it all.

Dean Martin sings with all his might,
But the laughter and merriment
play a more memorable tune.
The morning sun
will take us our separate ways,
so for now we drink
to what matters most.

Salud, amor, pesetas,
y tiempo para gastalo.

My Tio
He lives on Leisure Town Road
Where hard work
Is never had

He lives in a magic world
Where money is no object.
Where you forget
The family you left behind.

The walls of his home are perfectly painted
A smooth cream white.
Unblemished.
A contrast to the peeling green walls he grew up in.

My grandma
She lives in a trailer park.
Watching babies all day so that
my tias can work.

He doesn't think about
The walls he grew up in.
Or the way his mom can't afford a home.
Leisure Town made him forget.

The line between here and there
Grows thin once a year and death
Smells of copal and marigolds
Those who remember sit twixt
This world and the next to commune
With madres y padres y abuelos y tias
Bathed in candle light; this afterlife
Remembering is festive, not somber
As October moves into November
With those living and past together

A meus queridos pais

Meus pais me deram a vida e me deram um amor infindável que me fizeram florir como a mais bela rosa dum campo nunca antes semeado.

A eles e a Deus tudo lhe devo . Sempre grato a meus antepassados procuro força e coragem para enfrentar os desafios de uma sociedade débil, que nos rodeia e deixa por vezes sem sentido para a própria vida.
Por essas aldeias de Portugal tantos idosos,  tais como minha querida Mãe procuram conforto nas asas de uma borboletinha que de vez em quando nos aparece!

Obrigados a se adaptar, a conviver e porque não encontrar novos amigos em centros acolhedores em que lhe são servidas refeições e tem alguém para lhe dar um pouco de carinho.
Deixar as próprias casas parece ser o fim da vida.
Mas continuar na solidão não é remédio,  pois ainda existem locais onde nossos ente queridos podem ser assistidos, visitados e assim manter acesa a chama da vida.

Vida mais ativa parece ser a única alternativa em locais onde eles possam conviver e ter alguém para os ajudar nas quedas e no passar do tempo que se perde no próprio tempo.

Sofrimento e dependência para eles e para nós é uma realidade que se vive e sente em nossos queridos :primos, pais,  tios ,tias,avós ....

Quando nossos idosos começam a ficar esquecidos, confusos ou bastante repetitivos faz nos pensar que estarem sozinhos nunca vai ser a solução!

A independência enquanto jovens pode ser um benefício,  mas quando idosos se torna muito comum ser uma espécie de isolamento, de lutas consigo mesmo em querer fazer o que no nosso intimo os proíbe de fazer...

Victor Marques