historia by Jasmine Aequitas

i am quite drunk
the sounds of my elders
swirl around my ears
as i sit
on my fire escape

just another girl
from brooklyn

their spanish
is a relic
reminder
of my own
dna
drums

accents
like warm milk
soothing
the crying
i find
tumorous
in my chest

i smoke
my cigarette
and whisper
mi vieja

i am my
grandmother's daughter
and i drink to you

abuela
corazon

you are
my story

we always
begin
a story
this way

through
heartache
and a search
for home

never knowing
how it will end

but i drink
sigh
smoke
and
look to the sky

we
women
learn
how to make
home out of ash

even with
skewed accent
and broken word
raspy throat
and
half-complete
deed

smoke and memory
we
are a dream
not yet finished