Mami, Te Quiero by Nancy Azcona

My mother is not easy to surprise, 

as a woman of habit 

she is not fond of 

inconsistencies. 

But as a child of rebellion 

I find myself questing

after the gift, or the 

moment, or the news,

that would make my mother 

smile brighter than the day before.

So when I was able to afford

a bus ride back home on

Mothers Day of 2015, 

I was elated. 

See, if you were to ask mami 

what she would want on any 

holiday or birthday her response 

would be as follows:

A hallmark card, a dozen roses,

and to spend time with her children. 

And this year I was going to give 

her all three, the ultimate gifter,

that would rightfully secure my

place as favorite child. 

I started my grand home tour at

my best friends house, giving 

me enough time to gather

up the supplies. 

The hours pass by and we’re

now on Crooked Hill Rd. 

heading towards Yarnell St. 

when my phone rings.

Knots in my throat, I try not to spill 

over, my voice cracks. 

You see, my family is riddled

with romances of death and

this year we were dancing with

the devil. 

He took a liking to her, had

seen her strength, and 

decided to court her 

that very day. 

As grey walls and sterile smells engulf my 

senses, the embrace of despair washes over me. 

My fingernails begin to bleed 

from the gnawing of my anxiety, 

I no longer remember what 

I did with my day. 

All I could think is how quickly

they cleared the broken glass at

the intersection of Main St. 

and Crooked Hill Rd. 

Nancy Azcona is a 25 year old Salvadorian/Dominican New Yorker living out in Los Angeles since 2017. Queer and first gen American, the intersections are truly endless. She has been working in the entertainment industry since 2016 and is currently a Production Coordinator at the digital company SMOSH. Her articles have been featured on Funknvibe’s previous blog platform and her spoken word has been performed at their live events. In her spare time she enjoys taking care of too many plants, working on her imperfect ceramic pieces, watching any and all reality TV shows, and using her voice to tear down systematic oppression.

Leave a Reply

%d