Julianne Alvarado

I am from calacas,

From hand-made tortillas and jarritos

I am from the red white and green

Color, conocidos, the sting behind your throat when the chiles are asando

I am from marigolds

The flowers of the dead

I’m from loterias and Spain without the s

From Ledesma and Alvarado

I’m from the birthday parties and pinatas

From vitaminas en caldo and conejitos de pascua

I’m from Christianos, misa en Domingo

I’m from Hollister

Tamales and posoles

From the broken arms and homemade mechanics

The gallos raised in native lands

Oaxaca

The memories living on in photographs

Six Word Memoir

Somebody helped me; now my turn