A Lingering Presence: Admonitions, Names and Stones A few years back I visited the Accademia Gallery in Florence, to see firsthand David by Michaelangelo. In that venue, no one is allowed to take photographs which seemed to trigger shock reactions in many of those seeking to get a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse […]
Here we go again: Nuyorican, Gringa, and Puerto Rican what shall I be labelled? Nuyoricans are a funny bunch. They have a mixed cultural identity that is extremely strong that forms a strong core component of their being. The term broadly refers to the Puerto Rican diaspora experience. […]
My life has always been about there being two sides “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities When I was young, I entered many story telling contests. In third grade I won one of them […]
A ball drops on yesteryear Nothing fits right Nothing feels right Nothing rings right No move should be for what is wrong But at times there is no right What to do What to do Its all in tatters Shards strewn about A minefield of possibilities A vacuum […]
Born to be “Cousin It” and I’m Cool like That I was born odd. My mother went to a fortune-teller when she was pregnant with me and she was told she would have a very smart girl that would accomplish many great things. That is not so odd. […]
Your indignity is splashed on the wall: Go back to those days of yore Your indignity is splashed onthe wall It drips revoltingly so The cold steely knife lies in your mind’s stall It all pools into a piercing bile ball It is now done Your promise was […]
Let the Puerto Rican Superstition Be: I will not wear bobby pins to sleep tonight My mom was a very typical Puerto Rican woman. She voted in every election and passed that habit onto me. She spoke Spanglish with gusto. She loved rice and beans and dark, […]
Portraits of Dignified Happiness As a frequent business traveler, I have a ton of hurried days where I often end up wondering where I am. There have been many mornings where I wake up and open the curtains in order to figure out what city I find myself […]
Wide-eyed girl staring at the fire We got the call at 11:03pm. It was a simple-breeze kind of night. Cincinnati in the summer time has its own rhythms. Particularly back then. Its not easy being a fireman in these parts of town. Was hoping for an easy scene. […]
I suffer no bibliophobia but my mom would twitch in her grave I am going to admit to something that will probably cause my mom to twitch in her grave. Well, do those that are cremated proverbially twitch in their graves? Either way, she will be aghast at […]