Mariella Mendoza

Mija
Niña
Vecinita

Señorita

Corazon.

In Jamaica
I wear floral dresses
And do the laundry.

I wear boots
And go grocery shopping
There are fruit stands
At every corner
And the vegetables shake
As the J line roars above us.

In Jamaica,
There are buses
But I prefer the subway
Because it feels
Like you are flying
Between the buildings

Manhattan breaks the sky wide open
And the sun bursts so loud
And so soft
and there’s water below you
As the river gods whisper

You may pass.

In Jamaica,
The corner store is always open
And the old man
Waits for me
Because he knows
I always need something

Watermelon.
Cebolla.

Three red potatoes.

Buenas noches
Goodnight and thank you

As the J line, roars
And I walk home
To sleep.