Do you remember when we were both younger
You pulled me aside in your sister's house
And showed me a photo of yourself
When you were young like me
Your cheeks were rosy and colored
Even I could tell with that black-and-grey filter
And I looked just like you
When I was in middle school I joined a club
It was a gardening club, we planted in front
Of the school and grew plants native to Texas
I went home with the knees of my pants
green and brown from the blood of the earth
You liked to garden, you told me once
Once we moved out of that trailer home
You planted plants inside the house and out
And let me help you massage the roots
And let me dig up hole for your store-bought plants
While you watered them daily and put fences around them
So that the chickens wouldn't kill them with their pecking
When I was younger, I liked to read thick books
I have a library now, on two shelves in my room
You don't know the types of books I hide in there
You told me once while I was reading something on my phone
(Not things I'd show even to Silvia)
That you used to like to read as well
I once told you a summary of a book I wrote
A poorly executed argument over
And you told me to find you a Spanish version for you to read
I told you
It's a play, I don't think it'll be easy to read
And you said
Oh well, either way I like to read
I think I'll buy you the Spanish version if I find one
And give it to you on your birthday
Instead of a plant or lotion or perfume
You once had a cat named Minina
She was a Siamese cat, and you loved her
I have a cat named Kit-Kat
She's not any particular breed, but she's the
Daughter of the cat we brought that were
Meant to kill the rats eating our chickens'
Eggs, and who we thought were both males
She sticks to me like clingy child
And you've told me she gets sad when I'm not around
You sometimes call her Minina too
And she also follows you into your room
And sleeps in your bed when you're not feeling well
I think she also suspects the same thing as me
And she thinks we are copies of each other
Sometimes I wonder if one day when I'm older
I'll look just the same as you
I'll have the same wrinkles and lines
And I'll have the same voice and tone
I think then I'll feel sad
Because by then you'd be gone
And I don't think I can handle that right now
So I'll leave this stanza as it is
Am I foil to you? Am I what would have happened
If instead of living your life as you did
You had lived my life with more opportunities
Do you think that as well
When you see me getting ready for college
When you saw me going to high school
When you listen to me speak English like that's
My native tongue and not Spanish
Do you feel bitter? If you do, you hide it well
I can hardly tell, and I'm scared of losing your love
We are both tired
I sleep when you sleep
After school and after work
I think we're both sad
And that's why we're tired
So many expectations
And hopes and dreams
And none will come true
I'll make them come true
I'll do it for you
I am your copy
