El Amor

El amor es tan importante como la comida. Pero no alimenta.

- Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Rima

¿Qué es poesía? dices mientras clavas
en mi pupila tu propia pupila azúl.
¿Qué es poesía? ¿Y tú me lo preguntas?
Poesía ... eres tú!

Words

A youn girl stood with hands
shoved
deep in her jean pockets
gathering lint seeds
between small fingers.

She stood
waiting to write letters on a clean blackboard
in unforgiving chalk.

She listened
hard
trying to understand
the words.
Words that ran together,
fell apart
and broke like the mismatched plates
in her mother's cupboard.

She learned words,
ugly words,
words like illegal alien, wetback
and other words that made her cower
on the playground.

A woman stands
where the young girl stood
waiting
to speak wrds.
Words that run together,
fall apart
and break like the mismatched plates
in her own cupboard.

She's learning new words,
ugly words,
hurting words
words like
pocha, traitor
and other words that make her
angry and
sad
because nothing has changed.

-Lenora Castillo

Locked Door

All these feelings of love
and hate run freely
through my dainty self.
So many words are left untouched
and yet others exploited.

The sound of anger and despair
buzz constantly in my head.
So loud and with such frequency
that all I can do is
lay still and cry.

Happiness waiting behind a single locked door.
How am I to evade the black fumes
simmering in my lungs?
My inner voice says
Unlock the door!

Looking down to the palm of my hand
I see the key that can set me free.
It’s been there all along
Only now can I fathom its existence.
Perhaps now I can breathe...

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
You better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Yo Soy

Yo soy mujer
Mujer de cana,
Mujer con raices.
Mujer de fuerza
Y mujer debil.
Tratame co respeto,
Pero no me temas.
Tratame con delicadeza,
Pero no me pases por fragil.
Amame,
Pero no sientas pena por mi.
Porque yo soy mujer,
Que por las buenas o las malas
Voy a seguir adelante.
Yo soy yo
La siempre sere...
Mirame!
Lloro, sangro
Canto y bailo
Digo y maldigo.
Soy como tu... ecepto
Yo soy mujer.

Aztlan En Vivo

Something must be

Something must be wrong with me
with all this hurt inside,
always bursting with anger,
and necer any pride.

Something must be wrong with me
if all I do is cry,
I can't stop this pain
all I want to do is die.

Something must be wrong with me
if my emotions run wild,
all this confusion does
is make me feel like a lost child.

Something must be wrong with me
with all these terrible things,
always they are never done,
depression is what it brings.

Something must be wrong with me
if I can't stop these thoughts,
all this pain does
is turn my stomach in knots.

Something is truly wrong with me
when I think there's only one way out,
"Let this pain end"
is all my heart will shout.