“the lady I know”

she was born on the island of enchantment

where the water is always clear blue

in the first years she grew up eating

mangos and platanos, watching her mother

cook arroz con gandules or garbanzos

which she always hated

at nine she left her mother and island behind

moved to the mainland with her father and brother

to start a new life in Philadelphia – riding trolleys

to Catholic schools, chatting with friends

on stoops or spending the afternoon at

the movie theater for a just few coins

she became an adult in New Jersey and

married a son of North Carolina sharecroppers

they made a home with two kids – one sickly

who would become the center of her universe

turning life upside down at times but still

had memories to cherish for lifetimes

despite the passing years of various jobs

to make ends meet or being a caregiver

to all those in need - losing a number of

relatives and friends and still counting

her pennies, she never once lost her faith

and keeps her eyes on an eternal prize

Glossary:

 platanos – plaintain

arroz con gandules – rice with pigeon peas

garbanzos – chickpeas

- Written for dVerse Poetic Tuesday where we were challenged to write a poem about a character describing them through their actions.