this poem is inspired by the 2007 “veins”:

scared and desperate, I cling onto you
I learned early, solitude is a curse
and being alone is the worst thing
that can happen to a woman
I wrote this poem in March of 2024.

always restless and wild from the start
nothing could contain me or dim my spark
leg braces, overprotective parents
it didnβt matter
I always found a way to make trouble,
to investigate,
always too curious for my own good
and too dramatic and emotional
for mostly everyone
always good at making people
uncomfortable
sometimes itβs a curse,
sometimes itβs a blessing
canβt change this part of myself
I have, am and will always
be like this
I wrote this poem in February of 2024.

overwhelmed by the sights and sounds at jorge chavez airport
fast castellano coming from everyone
with cumbia in the background
machu picchu advertisements everywhere
my mind is trying to process everything in real time
Iβm here, Iβm here, Iβm here
the land of inca cola, ceviche and my ancestors
land that I havenβt seen since the age of 9
and didnβt fully appreciate it
happy and completely elated
euphoria and goosebumps felt from my bones
to my skin
I never thought Iβd see it again
poverty kept me away but Iβm here, Iβm here, Iβm here
my beloved PerΓΊ
the land I left without consent
the land I was taught to menospreciar
Iβm here, Iβm here, Iβm here
and I canβt wait to get reacquainted with you
mi tierra-once again
I wrote this poem in February of 2024.

I still watch our video, we were so cute together
(sends pic of us naked in bed)
your pussy is fire
Iβll wait for you until you change your mind
I guess loving you is a crime
these are the things said to me by the men
I send to block island
exes and lovers who continuously disrespected me
and never could listen to my no
or respect my boundaries when we tried to be friends
one of them I had to threaten to expose with the story
Of how I broke his dick
the rest made me feel a deep sense of guilt
and covered me with toxic shame for letting them
near me
and I yell at that sick version of myself asking her
βWhat the fuck girl, what was wrong with youβ
she responds, βI was mentally ill and impulsive,lolβ
and I try to find forgiveness for all of us
trying to not victimize or villainize but the fire of anger
rises up and I hate them and me
for ever exchanging energies with them
the only lesson learn in this is
be careful, be wary of the nice guys
the guys who talk a big game about respect
and still make you an object of their obsession
theyβre the ones most likely to break you apart
this poem is inspired by the 2006 “acknowledgement”.

a wolf in sheepβs clothing got to me
he pretended to be my friend
with endless compliments and fake empathy
Until one day I found out who he really was
a liar ,a psychopath
and I called him out and blocked him
from my universe when he said he didnβt do no wrong
when he said, he just liked his βprivacyβ
and offered no apologies after a decade long lie
which added to my trust issues
but at least it opened my eyes
enough to kick him out of my life
and while I still make poetry out of him
(he gave me too much material to ignore)
Iβm grateful heβs out of my life
life is too short for entitled Brads, Chads,and Kens
who think that just because of their privilege
they can get away with ANYTHING
I wrote this poem in January of 2024.

In bridging the gaps of my story that have remained unresolved
every story, every poem leads to pieces of healing and closure
Iβve been desperately search for since I can remember
Whatever my child self , my teenage self couldnβt voice back then
My middle age self brings to the surface
and while at times itβs difficult and terrifying
itβs needed in the process of healing and evolving
this poem is inspired by the 2006, “let’s go to your store”

take me on a tour of your utopia
the one you always talk about
the one where mental illness doesnβt exist
and we all go to sleep without the need
of meds and sleepytime tea
the one where everyone is respected
and being different is celebrated
and not used as fodder for insults or war
I wrote this poem in January of 2024.

Reddit wants to make sure Iβm real and not a spam bot
and even I ask myself this today
as I feel completely numb
as I feel like my emotions are turned off
And Iβm a new kind of mellow
the kind of mellow thatβs a zombie
functioning and existing with a stoic demeanor
feeling completely detached from who I truly am
over medicated and toned down
to barely subtle static and white noise
Is this what itβs like to be normal?
I wrote this poem in January of 2024 for my friend Rosie who died in 2023.

it was a wintry and rainy day in Georgia when last goodbyes were exchanged
between you and and your boys
you were thousands of miles away in Texas, in your hospice bed
I imagine you were full of peace in your last conscious moments
finding comfort in your faith and accepting this was part of Godβs plan
but I-I carried rage that you were leaving everyone behind
rage your husband would become a widower, rage your sons would grow up without a mom
rage for the grief of everyone who would have to live without you
rage that on the 29th of June, there wouldnβt be a random happy birthday from you
for William, Miguel and all of the babies in our July mommy group born on that date
rage that I didnβt get to know you better
and that rage broke my brain, and I drove without a destination
maybe it was your spirit that led me back to the safety of my boys
but almost a year later
I still carry that rage of how I donβt understand why God took you
you who still had more than love to give and receive
you who was the warmth of a sunny day in human form
What was the purpose of your sudden departure?
I wrote this poem in February of 2024.

itβs the wild wild west inside my head
itβs where my demons decide to come out to play
they dance with traumatic memories
making my fears and insecurities come out to the surface
itβs the wild wild west inside my head
being insane becomes my personality and aesthetic
scaring away any potential love candidates
itβs been a long time since I held someoneβs hand
much less been in someoneβs bed
Itβs the wild wild went inside my head
And I wonder when will the demons get tired and leave
so maybe one day Iβm not so jaded
so maybe one day I give someone the chance
to take me out on a date
I wrote this poem in December of 2023.

Itβs time to say goodbye to the notion of love
I know Iβve said this more times than I can count
but this time, I really mean it
lately, I prefer my life of solitude
the one where Iβm my own hero, my own savior
And I donβt wait for anyone to validate my worth
itβs so calm, itβs so peaceful
itβs actually bullshit
the romantic girl in me canβt be cured
I wrote this poem in December of 2023.

the breakup was always a larger than life event in my mind
because of the catastrophic pain it caused
because it was someone I thought could be my forever
so when he gave me the electronic pink slip
I used it as a catalyst for change
I broke away with my idea of what made me attractive
and accessible to men, andΒ instead, I focused on what made me feel good about myself
and learned to accept myself as the complicated and crazy
woman that I am
I finally understood I was always a Queen
Underneath layers of princess skin
Armed myself with poetry and confidence
that breakup changed me like previous breakups did
however, this one was the key to the transformation
I needed to become the woman I was always meant to be
I wrote this poem in December of 2023.

I never asked to be born, much less to be a mosaic of trauma, insanity, and creativity
I prayed many times to be normal-to be someone else
but the day came when I had to embrace the masterpiece of duality and insanity that I am
to understand not everyone will understand me
to do the best I am with the deck of cards Iβve been handed
I wrote this poem in November of 2023.

abuela Gaby sends me hints that she wants her story to be told
but I can barely remember her
she tells me to still try with the bits I have
I ask her for patience
I want to get it right, I want to do her story justice
she tells me, βhemos vivido vidas paralelasβ
las palabras te vendrΓ‘n fΓ‘cilmente prontoβ
and adds, βes como vas a sanar, es como
empiezas a entenderteβ
and I donβt understand what it means,
I donβt understand her interest in me now
and how I became a messenger of her story,
βni siquiera pensΓ© que me querΓas Abuela,
you always pulled my hairβ
and she replies,
βes que era duro ver nacer y crecer a alguien
que se parecΓa tanto a mi, me traΓa
demasiados sentimientos encontrados,
porque sabΓa que tu espiritu seria
difΓcil de dominarβ
and while I try my best to comprehend
what she tells me –
itβs hard to wrap my head around her message
and all of the conflicting stories about her
from my family
so Iβm going to make it a point
to find out her story through her letters
and pictures-
abuela, I want to do your story justice
I canβt rush through this
yours is one of the most important stories
Iβll share in my lifetime
I wrote this poem in November of 2023.

Is it really so bad to assist others in ending their lives?
couldnβt it be seen as a final act of love?
to help them die with dignity and on their own terms
without machines and tubes delaying the inevitable
without anyoneβs say over the little autonomy
they still have left