Poetry by Vanessa Chica Ferreira

             ​Timo Newton-Syms CC



Press play

across our brown tiled living room floor
my parents are dancing Salsa
their bodies becoming a call and response
my mother shines the smile she uses when she wants something
my father gives her his everything

In those rare moments, undoubtedly, I feel like I came from love

we sing along as Frankie Ruiz sings about infidelities
the secret calls
the scheduled meets
We relive past and future memories 

my father sweats of Obsession
his thick gold chain sliding across his chest
the heavy cross dangling pulsating to the beat

my mother’s hips/a figure skater
I hold up six fingers
giving her a perfect score

my father’s right-hand spins my mother from corner to corner
his left hand on her lower back 
his silverback chest thumping
this time she dances just for him
 
a grey thunderous cloud, our normal yelling and breaking is asked to wait in the dining room
it hovers over the door frame like a child that is used to getting all of the attention

The lamp in the room becomes a spotlight 
on a 12-year-old daughter’s wish for a song that never ends 





I begin all my planting with an apology

In the in-between
My mother meets me in my yard
In her hands she holds a brown paper bag of seeds 

I       slow           down       time      to      look      at       her

Like an energetic child she pulls out an avocado seed
A plump brown memory of home
I tell her “Mami, it won't survive”
She ignores me with a smile
Takes extra care when planting
Says “acuerdate de mi” every time I bite into an avocado
She chuckles while asking me if I remember the time, I killed my grandmothers’ plants
Calls herself “dramatica” for telling me I had “bad hands”
She doesn’t know since then
I begin all my planting with an apology
She playfully reminds me not to overwater
Tells me “Too much love can drown”
I disagree, on the inside and offer her a drink from a bottomless glass 

​​
​

Vanessa Chica Ferreira is an NYC educator, poet, playwright, fat activist, poetry editor for The Ice Colony, and founder of theWORDbox.  A featured poet at various events throughout New York City. She co-wrote and performed in a 3 woman play titled “Live Big Girl” which debuted at The National Black Theatre. Her work has been published in The BX Files, The Abuela Stories Project, The Acentos Review, and Great Weather For Media. For more info visit www.vanessachica.com

---