Palabras Peligrosas
DARIANA GUERRERO
Papi says palabras peligrosas
carry the weight of scattered bullets.
He bought his house with clean hands
after military service, long after Trujillo
loaded shrapnel into innocent butterflies.
In feverish dreams of deep jungle
he whispered to himself asi es la vida
nadie puede derribarme.
Papi tells stories of fighting for an education,
carrying a single pencil, one water worn notebook,
all weapons I take for granted now.
Immigrating to the states requires talent and precision.
Banderas hang loose
from rearview mirrors.
Stars dim in the smog of our overpopulated cities.
The first time I wanted to die
Papi held my hand in the hospital bed,
the rifle long off his shoulders,
replaced with the cloak of fatherhood.
His biggest regret raised a dead-inside daughter.
He couldn’t predict the inescapable riot
of his offspring would bellow
an unearthed secret:
palabras peligrosas he dared not utter
quiero morirme.
DARIANA GUERRERO (she/her) is a writer, activist, educator, and spoken word poet from Lawrence, Massachusetts. A graduate of Smith College and current M.A. student at Salem State University, Dariana’s poetry has appeared in Caustic Frolic Literary Journal, Exposed Brick Literary Magazine, Glass Poetry Journal, Voices and Visions, Women: A Cultural Review, Witness Magazine, Death Never Dies: Mourning 2020 Through the Lives and Deaths of Public Figures, Bailey Sarian’s The Dark Side of History, The Bread Loaf School of English Journal, Mass Poetry’s U35 Series, Boston Poetry Slam, and the Button Poetry Publisher’s Slam at The Roxbury Poetry Festival. Her artist book, The Sancocho Shuffle: ¡Cartas Con Sabor! can be found all over the world. You can connect with Dariana on her website, darianaguerrero.com or on Instagram @darianawrites.
