Abuelito
Abuelito
The name that rang like bells throughout my home
Like the song of cumbia and regeton that your body will dance to
As you would call out “mija, ven aqui”
And you would take my hands and elope me in a never ending dance
Abuelito taught me of my beginnings, that my familia was large and vast like the ocean
And that I could hear the sounds of my ancestors in the wind
Which was nearly impossible because he was hard of hearing at the slightest mention of taking his medication
But he believed that one day, I could hear him in the wind too
Abuelito would be the one to tell me stories of his says in the Marina
And whenever I told a bad joke, he would laugh as out series of letter K’s
Kkkkkkkk
Abuelito stands for strength, courage, and faith for when I did not have any
For when the news of your cancer came in, the tears rolling down my face where needles against your heart
Abuelito, you told me “Cancer does not mean death, it means a different way of living”
Abuelito, you could not dance our own dance anymore or laugh full of life anymore
I never wished for you to life different, I wanted you to live like my abuelito
It is not fair that cancer took your lungs, then your heart, and reached to the end of your limbs
It is not fair that your last breathe had to be taken from a ventilator
It is not fair that the wind did not pass through on the day of your funeral
It is not fair that I now get to live without you
I visit you everyday and it seems we have not grown apart
For you, cancer did not mean death, it meant showing death that you could still live
And I swear, when I stand still and quiet, I can hear you calling me in the wind
Copyright © April Detriot | Year Posted 2023
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