Maria's Journey

Lonely traffic passing by

Thinking of yesterday

When her mother used to cry in protest
The warm air freezing her body
Listening to broken down voices of edited confusion
Subway passengers with no journey
The wino on the corner learning to read the New York Times.

The polluted smell of everything hanging around the body
Thinking of yesterday when Fernando told her
If you love me you need to prove it.

Hating the endless hours of the night

Those that passed looked at her with inviting eyes
Wanting to come out after her.

Black and Puerto Rican kids playing Cowboys and Indians

In the backyard streets
Where all of them
The rats, the dogs, the cats, and the drug dealers
Held their daily meetings.

Hating herself for accepting a defeat that loved her

The lonely traffic passing by
Bars and liquor stores on every corner consuming the younger victims
While drug dealers counted their money of death.

Thinking of yesterday

The trip from Puerto Rico and her first introduction
To the New York cold that raped her body.

Thinking of yesterday

When Freddie played her wrong accusing her of being a whore

He is now happily married to a girl from uptown
Who makes love to the dog next door.

Thinking of yesterday

The dances, the parties, and the James Bond movies she loved so much
Now waiting patiently for the overdose of everything to make love to her.