One Year
I made for my family
on Christmas morn early
a magnificent dreamcatcher
glimmering with the dark eyes
of peacock feathers and laughing
with the tinkling of beads.
Its cord was stretched taught
over a tarnished metal hoop
I laid it out carefully
under the tree
shaking with cold and anticipation
Another Year
I brought from the haze of Buenos Aires
an old peso, no longer in circulation,
its Sun face a bright gold,
a proud "1" displayed.
Quartered and attached
to four black strings: you could
pull it apart to make four sharp
necklaces to scratch the unwary
My father's hangs on his briefcase
Mine from my unused keychain
I have not seen the other two since
This Year
I bring them four plates
in the "Talavera" style from Puebla
newpaper-wrapped and carried in
a bag whose strap dug into my shoulder.
Green with fancy edges for papá
Blue and traditional for mamá
Sunflowers and lilies for mi hermana
And the sun and moon for mí misma
Let the food lie plentiful on these plates
and easy in their stomachs
for the rest of their lives.
They have grown used to my
unexpected gifts,
oddly prophetic as they are -
I know that a chance encounter
with any strange item
will make them think of me.
~~~~~~~~~AEW~~~~~~~~~
Take Your Time, the Poems Have Just Begun... <-- More Poetry
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