inner art journal

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there are photographs
histories and memories
objects that remind
walls of faces that I know
wallpapered in grandma’s house

there is a stained chair
dark smudged grease on the armrest
fabric worn as tires
carpet has become tired
it has given up its strength

big mama made quilts
brightly sewn fabrics for us
special acts of love
I wish she would make me one
some nights need her handiwork

we never ironed
our bread with blocks of hard cheese
like clothes on a board
there were some things that were not
allowed or tried in our home

king and kennedy
were not related to us
but they always smiled
patriotic tapestry
beside the television

on grandfather’s wall
hung a lime green calendar
faded red numbers
given at a grocery store
nailed above a brown heater

meme’s house had food
that we did not eat at home
good and sweet and tart
large vegetables that weighed pounds
we ate until we were full

some nights I’m lonely
books cannot help pass the time
ideas lightening strike
I desire to do right
company makes things all right

we still have records
memories set to music
known since my childhood
some of the scratched songs don’t play
some of the hard songs lasted

my neighbor had bees
that one day got in our house
it was all my fault
I provoked them and they stung
the slick devil out of me

mama pepa’s house
was tortillas and kindness
love and mexican
food and times playing outside
family that opened their arms

we raised rabbits once
a long cage in the backyard
dogs killed all of them
fur like cotton in the grass
we think about that sometimes