I.
The distance between
the Fortress and the General's city
is two decades worth
of crushed flower petals
dipped in red, salt and sour milk,
too many nights without stars
and my shadow fading
into almost nothing.
II.
There are many voices
rising and falling,
wanting to reach out
for the daughter of three tongues;
the words have been
dead for years.
I wonder if they are aware
of an el niño always present
in the makeshift house of their cousin,
their niece, their aunt, me.
SAQUINA KARLA C. GUIAM is a Best of the Net-nominated poet. On occasion, she writes prose. Her work has appeared on Glass: A Journal of Poetry, The Maine Review, Outlook Springs, Djed Press, Geoliterary, and others. She is the Roots nonfiction editor at Rambutan Literary and an editor for Umbel & Panicle. Her first micro-chapbook, Skysea, was part of Ghost City Press' 2017 Summer Chapbook Series.