Poem: "Cuántos Niños"
Aug. 11th, 2014 10:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithWell, the general fund poll was tied, but more money came in, so I decided that the logical thing to do was post both the shorter poems and put the rest into epic poetry.
This poem came out of the August 5, 2014 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts fromdialecticdreamer and chanter_greenie. It also fills the "Relative Values: Families" square in my 7-30-14 card for the ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
genprompt_bingo fest. This poem was selected in an audience poll to be sponsored from the general fund. It belongs to the Danso & Family thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
WARNING: This poem contains some very difficult family dynamics and emotional!whump. Readers who are sensitive about relationship distress should consider their tastes and headspace before deciding whether to read onward.
"Cuántos Niños"
It was hard on the whole family
to stay in Onion City where
Rosita was living with
the people who had taken her in.
Amada and Faramundo
tried to make up for it by
spending extra family time together
and making home-cooked meals.
When they shopped at the Mexican grocer,
the cashier asked with a smile,
"¿Cuántos niños tienen?"
"Tres," said Faramundo
at the same time that
Amada said, "Cuatro."
The question cut between them
like a knife dividing an avocado,
leaving behind the hard seed of truth,
which for each of them was impenetrable
but not the same.
In the car, Faramundo said,
"We have three sons.
We never even got
to take Consuela home."
Amada unclenched her jaw
enough to say, "We have a daughter.
It does not matter where she lives.
I gave birth to her and that makes her mine."
They drove back to the hotel,
not looking at each other, not speaking,
each lost in their own thoughts
still feeling the cold steel question that divided them.
* * *
Notes:
"¿Cuántos niños tienen?"
How many little ones do you [plural] have?
-- Spanish dictionary translation
Family issues are a natural part of life; every family has its challenges, but some families get overwhelmed. Know the common triggers and signs of serious trouble. There are general tips on solving family problems and more detailed steps on how to develop a problem-solving process.
This poem came out of the August 5, 2014 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from
dialecticdreamer and chanter_greenie. It also fills the "Relative Values: Families" square in my 7-30-14 card for the genprompt_bingo fest. This poem was selected in an audience poll to be sponsored from the general fund. It belongs to the Danso & Family thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.WARNING: This poem contains some very difficult family dynamics and emotional!whump. Readers who are sensitive about relationship distress should consider their tastes and headspace before deciding whether to read onward.
"Cuántos Niños"
It was hard on the whole family
to stay in Onion City where
Rosita was living with
the people who had taken her in.
Amada and Faramundo
tried to make up for it by
spending extra family time together
and making home-cooked meals.
When they shopped at the Mexican grocer,
the cashier asked with a smile,
"¿Cuántos niños tienen?"
"Tres," said Faramundo
at the same time that
Amada said, "Cuatro."
The question cut between them
like a knife dividing an avocado,
leaving behind the hard seed of truth,
which for each of them was impenetrable
but not the same.
In the car, Faramundo said,
"We have three sons.
We never even got
to take Consuela home."
Amada unclenched her jaw
enough to say, "We have a daughter.
It does not matter where she lives.
I gave birth to her and that makes her mine."
They drove back to the hotel,
not looking at each other, not speaking,
each lost in their own thoughts
still feeling the cold steel question that divided them.
* * *
Notes:
"¿Cuántos niños tienen?"
How many little ones do you [plural] have?
-- Spanish dictionary translation
Family issues are a natural part of life; every family has its challenges, but some families get overwhelmed. Know the common triggers and signs of serious trouble. There are general tips on solving family problems and more detailed steps on how to develop a problem-solving process.
