La Fiesta

Bongos and guiros
Congas pan pan the beat in my chest
Vibrating through Abuelas floor, up into my feet
The sound pouring into me
Pounding like nails into the foundation and structure of my being
Our heartbeat and and feet connected
Shuffle shuffle, twirl
Our pretty skirts swish and sway
We spin, watching the fabric layers undulate
Feeling every bit the princesses that we are
Step, step, "Weeepa!"
Soft, fluffy, oily salted rice
The aromas of pernil & pollo fill the air
We gobble aceitunas out of the jar
"Weeeeepa", Titi wails from the sala
My little cousins shake their shoulders as they drop it like it's hot PR style
Pristine guayaveras ripple as the viejitos spin their ladies
I'm still too young to relate these people with youth
To wonder who they had been in their heyday
The pungent smells of cigarettes, Palo Viejo, coquito,
Bacardi and Coors Light
Cling to the tips of yellowed gray staches
Wet beer kisses to Little Boo,
Warm scrapy sandpaper cheeks
The projects are gray
The trees are bare
The handball court empty
Nobody on the benches
"Ven a comer tocino"
YES!
I turn from the window and run to the kitchen
Mmmmm! Crunchy crunchy salty chewy
I sulk at only being allowed to eat a few little pieces
mmmph! It's a treat that teases
A few freestyle songs and beats so the kids could get down a little

Preview of our club moves....
Dancing with Abuela
Exhaustion takes over
The kids droop, leaving the growups to their own world
Abuela's bed is covered in coats
Climb the mountain, they shift and slip
At the top 3 little cousins snore softly
Drooling, arms and feet tangled
Listening drowsily on top of the pile
The scents of my family
The leather, the cigarettes and perfume
Y se acabo
Ya, se acabo la fiesta