Amá y Mi Dad

Giselle Resendiz

passes by

much like my dad’s

when he was 17.

i see him

and my mom

inside

she’s hopeless, and he’s hopeful for a son.

high school

sweethearts

white pick-up, flowers, the smashing pumpkins SHHH

pose, hold her, smile!

jealousy, notes, Ice Cube SHHH

Hold her. Smile. Pose. CLICK

trust, Sex. exit WAAH

Diapers. disappear. Bottles.

Diapers. Diapers. disappear. Bottles. Bottles. WAAH

Fold his underwear. Search his pockets. Feed the baby. WAAH

Another baby

his,

but not theirs

daddy tells me all his passwords so

i can play word games on his phone he says they make me smarter

my mommy asks me for the numbers

why does daddy not tell mommy his passwords?

i’m so smart for knowing them when mommy doesn’t

i tell her the numbers proudly

then it’s midnight and i keep my eyes closed as i listen

to mommy on the phone

she speaks in a hush but i still understand her my body becomes a mush

i try my best to pretend to be asleep

It’s morning and mommy tells me daddy’s moving away, again.

but mommy doesn’t know that i’m smart i’m smart enough to pretend

I learn to pretend about everything I pretend to not be smart anymore So no one fights anymore

So Mom and Dad stay Asleep with me.