Agua-
ntame un poco y
See how much this groovy
Ass Fruit finds a way to
The table before gringos
Gentrified the shit out of it when they
Spread it on buttered
toast and call it
Gourmet ‘cause where I’m from
We know when aguacate’s
Ripe no matter how we slice it
Open with a spoon know
How to scoop the seed with more
Cariño you give kickers punting on
Fourth and ten and know
How to
Honor those who
Plucked it but don’t get to
Taste
Forbidden fruit dangling
Livelihoods too high for a
Ladder too weak for revo-
Lution to turn over like an
‘85 Ram que
Ahogaste from all the gas you
Pumped inside no CPR or
AED’s will save your heart
Out there better let go
Like some bougie girl floating off
Some ship to savor the
Flavor on caldo de calabacitas tacos tortas tlayudas
Sopes chalupas burritos flautas gorditas tostadas enchiladas
Pero trucha con las peas en guacamole let alone
A truce ‘cause you know what gringos
No more avocado
Toast till
Confederate participation
Trophies hang from fields
Of maíz as stuffing for
Scarecrows payback for
The land the rights the lives you
Stole reparations overdue payable
On death no Chapter 11 layaway installments loans IOU’s or refinancing
‘cause repossession is a
Dish best served cold as
Avocado ice
Cream no dice
No reba-
Nadas puro guaca-
Tela.
—
Born in Juarez and raised in the Juarez/El Paso border, Jorge Gomez teaches English at El Paso Community College and co-hosts the podcast Literally Literary sponsored by the Mellon Foundation via the Humanities Collaborative at EPCC-UTEP. As an educator-activist, he sits on the board of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center. His work has appeared in Acentos Review, and No Tender Fences: an Anthology of Immigrant & First-Generation American Poetry.
Artwork by: Daniel Apodaca
