Long Chicano Poems

"AN OLD RIVER LESSON"



while the woman I love is 
making me wait for her time 
to go out and play with her 
family and friends that are 
now making her happy, I took 
a trip...

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"IMAGINE WHAT I COULD DO 
WITH THIS FROM HERE"


when I first met her I told 
her there would be a lot she 
would learn from me. she 
looked at me with contempt 
and asked: “will...

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"SOME FOOLS HAVE ALL THE LUCK"



a year ago, I met a lost but 
willing to live adolescent. 
problems in school, problems 
with siblings, problems with 
her mother and a never-ending 
self-analysis through the day to...

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Azteca

As a young girl growing up in Los Angeles City
My mother took me everywhere with her
Our favorite Mexican restaurant had great hospitality
Casa De Nina, I enjoyed the music and she, their famous platter;
Guajolotas o tortas...

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“THE POEM MY MOTHER LIKED”


smoking a cigarette in the bathroom 
at 4 p.m. I wonder what my son is doing; 
I wonder if court will run smooth. I sit in 
the midst of my greatest...

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“BOXING AT THE DMV”



had an appointment at the dmv 
today. got my number, sat and 
waited. “f078, now serving at 
window number 14.” After 
taking care of business I was 
sent over to the line...

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“EARS OF FURY #2”


this Monday will be a year 
that I’ve known her. 
ironically, it is the exact 
time it all fell apart. I met 
her when she had an in-
credible hunger for sex and...

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the shape of things


I saw both videos. 
in one she has her flowered blouse on, 
white jeans and her hair is done. 
in another, jeans with holes, 
a white spaghetti strapped shirt and hair out...

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Only little black girl at  school and her white friends admired her ‘tan’ 
–“I'm brown all over” she told them, proudly motioning to all her body.  
But skin color can be an issue
...

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I tell my mom everything I want her to know,
She knew about my pain and what I had left to show,
She knows I hate when she hugs me because it hurts too much inside,
She knows...

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"TODAY"


today you met one, 
today a million wait for you.
today you and that one begin to talk,
today the million know you're coming.
today the conversation took interesting turns,
today the million prepare their tactic.
today you're feeling that...

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"THE BUTTERFLY CATCHER."


Chicano face.
California.
closer to death.
he just pulled up to a house where the car he's about to tow sits.
he tows a lot of cars, 
talks to people every day. 
he's loaded his truck.
"goodbye," 
he...

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“FAREWELL BULLETS”


today I woke up tired
and hungover. 
I was a little sore from my road trip 
yesterday and the combination 
was enough to get me complaining. 
I went home,
kissed my son and said good morning....

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"HER PARIS"


I see you smiling with your 
eyes towards subjects you now 
engage yourself with.
I see your hands moving 
across your phone.
I see the plans you've made 
give you the happiness you 
chose not to...

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a bra, a cane and old fashioned irony


what could be classier? 
a man and a woman in love, 
then a man and a woman in hatred. 
I separated from the mother of my son and...

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"THE BOSS AT WORK"


I’ve been trying to work with 
her for some time now but the 
damn general manager won’t 
allow it. who knows why it 
just isn’t happening. today I 
got to work with...

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“UNIT 47”



today I woke up in Riverside               
and took a drive to San 
Diego. there I met a man 
named Joe....

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a triangle with four corners


while sitting next to each other they both 
knew they shared a mutual hatred for me. 
hatred is the only thing that lasts, except 
for these two, it came with fear....

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"THIS HAPPENED DAYS LATER"


she turned thirty-five days 
ago. 
a few days later, here we are 
fighting as usual. 
on the night of her birthday 
I deliberately dismissed the 
traditional happy birthday 
gestures. 
rude?, maybe. 
heartless?,...

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"FOURTH OF JULY ON A GARGOYLE"


fourth of July, alone in a 
mad box down by the terrace 
where single men, single 
women, senior citizens, 
children, lovers, boyfriends, 
girlfriends, married couples 
and families barbecue. can 
you...

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"AND THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID"


"it scares me Eddie. I'd drop 
everything I have here just 
to be with you."
"look," I said, I can't stop 
you from getting married, to 
be honest I'm not sure...

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Ah, the bloom was on the Rose
yet, the taint of alcohol and drugs
looms nightmare like behind her baby pink cheeks. 
Porcelain skin tones, raspberry rogue
nails to scratch and lift bits of dirty lucre.

She was clawing...

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"THESE CITY EYES"


ex-wives and mothers watching 
from their porches as they 
wait for child support.
fathers who don't see their 
children but murder 
themselves to pay for that 
bitch's lifestyle return 
home.
down the street cars fight...

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"THE DRUNKEN BEE DROWNS IN HONEY"

 
It was 5:37, the moment 
I woke up.
the dead roses are pleasing
to the aesthetic senses 
again.
my insanity is bandaged,
plastic surgery went well.
the darkness is comfort,
delusions of persecution
dance and my...

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“MAGDALENA #6”


today I returned home from 
work and hung my coat up on 
the coat rack. 
I took off my hat and set it 
on the hook right next to it. 
Magdalena came to the...

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