What is the American Dream For You? -Crystal Balvuena
In the living room, within the light brown walls is my mother sitting with both legs crossed on the soft blue couch, impatiently waiting. Her petite face pale and tired, slowly sipping the dark sugarless coffee, while watching daily news.
Jalisco, México
That is where I was born
In a small town miles away from la capital
And umm everyday I would walk to little cottage
To go to school
In my little sun kissed dressed
Under the breath of the sun
I was very smart
... you know already...
That is why you are smart too mi hija
I loved to read
Not like my sisters who would cry and beg not to go
You know the Archie Comics?
With Betty and Veronica?
I loved to read them
I would read them again and again
When I was like your sister age
Unlike you kids here
I thought like an adult
Here you guys are babies
But over there, we were thinking already how we were going to live
When I was twelve
And and I could not go to school anymore
I was sad,
I didn't want to work like a dummy
So when my older brother got married and left to go to the United States
I begged and I cry
I cry and I cry
Until your abuelita
Looked at me
And ask
“Dime porque te quieres ir?”
Tell me why do you want to leave?
And I said
“No puedo ir a la escuela aquí” I can't go to school here
“Quiero estudiar y aquí no puedo” I want to study but here you know I can’t
And my dad said
And I still remember
He told me
“Mi hija siempre fuiste la inteligente”
You know I was a dreamer,
I was eager
To learn and go to school
That is why you and your brothers need to know my story
I suffered a lot you know
That is why mi hija...
I'm doing this for you
Te doy mi sueño,
el sueño de todos que quisieran estar en tus pies.
That is why I give you my dream,
The dream of all
that would love to be in your feet.