December 22, 2010

Who Said Flowers Don’t Grow in the Hood (re-edited)

Who Said Flowers Don’t Grow in the Hood
(Re-edited)

He creeps into her room again
Steals a seat next to her on the bed
Innocence trickles down her cheek in rivers

She is a beautiful rosita with under-aged thorns
and he knows this
but it doesn't stop the over-grown and
oil-stained fingers from brushing
secrets up between her thighs
     "Shhh, little baby...I'm just here to get mine..."

You see,
She is only 15 and has dreams of becoming a writer
The next Maya
with the power of Sonia, Cherrie, and Audre
But how can you rise
if your roots are tangled with
secrets and eyes too blind to see?
     "Don't tell your mom. What we do is between you and me..."

She always did find it ironic
and amazing
how these screams -
these Northside cries -
this perspiration of a young flower who's face is buried in the concrete -
can echo on paper
Can shift mountains in a place beyond these walls,
Yet, at the same time
can fall so silently on ears
without moving a single grain
Still,
quiet
and waiting for the rumble of words
and wind.

With both hands
The man holds her face
He holds it delicately
Soft and thunderous, he whispers...

“Don't cry.
Don't scream.
Just be easy and take your time.
Like those fancy poems you be writing
Take your time,
mi rosita mas bella”.

2 comments:

Nikkeya Murguia said...

That was deep girl and very sad... i hope u arent this girl in this poem, nobody deserves that kind of childhood!

NV Torres said...

Thankfully I am not the girl in this poem, but unfortunately it was inspired by a similar case of molestation. My heart broke for the young girl who went through it. I internalized her pain and felt inspired to give her a voice through this poem.

Thank you for taking the time to read and for sharing your thoughts. Have a safe and happy holiday :)

~NV