The El Andar Prize for Literary Excellence II
POETRY: second place
Gustavo
by Carmen Castillo
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Carmen Castillo lives in Santa Rosa California. Her poems have appeared in Lyric, The Dry Creek Review and other publications. |
from Guadalajara has clean hair
slicked back, cowboy boots, the voice
of a pall bearer, tells me
of his best friend's
wedding, the trip to Mexico for a charro outfit,
silver medallions from lapel to cuff,
sombrero like an eclipse of
the sun. He tells me
he spent his youth perfecting his low rider.
His mother left him alone, so many friends
shot to death cruising Roseland,
his father working so hard.
I understand you, friend,
there is so much living, it
goes on and on,
one brutal moment after another. Things we make,
low riders, poetry and love, are ways to surrender.
While sweet smelling young
brothers,
wear la Virgen de Guadalupe on their backs,
the Aztec stone, map of the universe,
enormous hearts entwined in
thorns. These
brothers fight each other, conquer, perform
human sacrifices every goddamned Saturday night.
Copyright © 2002 Carmen Castillo All Rights Reserved
© 2002 El Andar Media Corporation