misteerie:ecc-poetry: la verdad / the storybookTengo miedo a decirtede mi madre, porque ella tiene s

ecc-poetry:
la verdad / the storybook
Tengo miedo a decirte
de mi madre, porque
ella tiene sangre en vez de miel.
Cuando yo era desierto,
su amor no podía arreglarme.
Trató chistes, vergüenza,
panóptica. Nada.
Temo decirte de María
(aunque su nombre no es María)
porque ha hecho llorar a su hija.
María vigila a cuatro niñes,
hijes y sobrines, y ella sabe que
si aparta la mirada,
esta américa les dispensa
como cenizas. ICE ha detenido
a su esposo. Pero no es
suficiente. También debe
llenar al dolor sin fondo
de su hija, y sonreírse
como primavera,
y dejarte pesar su corazón
como fruta pulposa.
Tu madre no es muñeca de perla.
¿Por qué debe ser la mía?
I was afraid to tell this story
of a mother, and so
I made her better than a mother.
She crosses the desert
on feet of dainty marvel,
each christening tear
a pure crystal.
This woman, Maria
(we may as well call her Maria)
has cried rios grandes,
her life a pastel tragedy
so huge and blunt you can’t help
but accept it.
Her mind is a breast
plumped with milk:
she thinks only of feeding.
She telegraphs gestures
like windmills
to tolerant living rooms.
Stainless, how she gleams!
No mildew, no algae,
no rust.
A mother just empty enough
to glove your white hand.
-elisa chavez
For more information on the Miss Translated series, it’s on Goodreads???? Whoa! I didn’t put it there.
I am afraid to tell you
of my mother, because
she has blood instead of honey.
When I was desert,
Her love couldn’t fix me.
She tired jokes, shame,
Panóptica*. Nothing.

I’m afraid to tell you about María
(although her name is not María)
because she has made her daughter cry.

María watches over four children,
daughters and nephews, and she knows that if you look away,
this America dispenses them
like ashes. ICE has arrested
Her husband. But it isn’t
Enough. You should
Fill the endless pain
Your daughter has, and smile
Like spring,
And allow yourself to feel her heart
Like pulpy fruit.*

Your mother is not a doll of pearl.
Why should mine be?

im not fluent in spanish nor am i a translator! corrections/additions are 100% welcomed
Panóptica, im not sure what this means, i looked around and found a mexican band that does electronic music, and also a drug company.
I wasnt sure of how to translate this sentence sp if anyone has any more insights pls lmk

Blessed by another reader translation! I love these so much.

Fun fact: This poem is based on the divide between the Latine immigrant experiences represented in “American Dirt” by Jeanine Cummins and my own experiences as a Chicana whose family works on immigrant rights.