Childhood memories of a Puerto Rican
child in Amerikkka.

Yvette Davilla    

La Marketa
not on 116th street
but on Belmont Avenue
in Brooklyn.
Where you could get a gallina
for the Santera down the block
to turn a trick or two.
If it's Saturday
you could pick up some
Beldura y Bacalao
'cause Papi just got paid
yesterday.
Candles burnin'
on Mami's bureau
Mami being Grandma
of course.
She said she burned the candles
to give Papi light
BENDICION PAPI
I need light too
'cause it's dark and scary
growin up Boricua in Brooklyn.

YO MIRA MIRA!
I was called
by the morenas on my block
but I was a Mira
who was down wit da sistas.
NIGGA LOVER
I was to some
'cause
white was right
and
Black was whack.
MEJORA LA RAZA
I was told by my elders
I never understood that concept.

The EAST was gettin' rough
especially
since moms stopped working
and started drinking for a living.
They sent me to Queens
or should I say
PUERTO RICAN PARADISE
FUCKIN LONG ISLAND
from what I knew.
15 and away from
MY HOOD
and
MY HOMIES
is all I really knew.

"SHE'S INTELLIGENT BUT SHE HAS A BEHAVIOR PROBLEM"
my moms was told
by CRACKAS
who just aint understand
not havin a moms
not havin a pops
not havin any siblings
JUST HAVIN ME.

I send PROPS out to Rosie and Chito
but I was never your daughter
y'all made sure I knew.

The EAST was my temporary home
'cause I WAS A JEFF BITCH
ILLIN WIT MY PEEPS
is all I really wanted to do
besides fuckin my man
to feel the love I never had
but always wanted.

AY PAPI!
AY PAPI!
but Papi turned out to be like the rest of them
FUCK IT
a sista like me
got over it quick
I had to
'cause now I'm 17/pregnant wit a oozy to my head.

Day after graduation
which they thought
I'd never see
I'm havin my statistic surgically removed
along with it went the child
scared/lonely/naive

HERE I AM
A STRONG BORICUA WOMAN
waiting for the adulthood memories
to begin.