As a kid
Episodes of Dragon Ball Z flashed on the television
And my mom’s novelas were a nightly event.
The music I listened to was Pokémon theme songs
And the apartment echoed my father’s rancheras.
Religious tensions were simply
My mom and dad's idea of how to spend a Sunday morning.
And the graffiti on the building
Across the street meant stay away
As if the broken windows and police tape weren’t enough.
The only drugs I knew about were cough syrups
That were given to me when I had a cold,
And I hated them.
They were too sweet, even for a kid
With one too many cavities.
The saddest thing was when
I ran down the stairs,
Excited to ride my bike and it was
Gone.

Now,
My television is filled by empty-headed idols
And propaganda for peaceful intervention.
I listen to Alternative and Norteños:
My definition of both my cultures.
Because I’m just as American as I am Mexican.
I learned that hope is like nectar in a sieve,
The cries for help will never leave your dream's.
That prayers won't save your soul.
I now know that graffiti on buildings is art, not vandalism
And that sometimes it’s not about
Being sober
But rather who can laugh the hardest,
Because the only thing we are trying to cure
Is our low self-esteem and not the common cold.
The saddest thing I now know
Is not being able to say goodbye
To a loved one before they die.