on each family member’s plate
but mine is the highest.
We sit in silence, only putting energy into big bites.
Spoonfuls of rice and guando,
mixing with luke-warm cafe pobre.
Tonight Mama cooked yucca.
It was this afternoon that she dug it out
from the red ground with her machete.
Tonight Mama cooked bollo.
It was last night that she crushed the maiz,
and this morning that she willed it into even rolls.
Tonight Mama cooked 2 eggs just for me. She saved
the last of the salt to strategically
place on each one.
She says to eat it all because our walk is far tomorrow.
