synthesis
we get these folks
you know the type,
they have the feminist fist
tattooed on their ankles
want to visit my community
with their “poorest in the nation” shit
their novelty right now
is mexicans in the colonias.
My valley, my people
and they want to see
the real deal
the real colonias,
you know,
with the really really
poor conditions,
“where it floods & they don’t have electricity”
my valley, my people
and they come w/
notepad, pencil in hand
sic-sicing at our
mexican men & their
macho macho ways
you know, my people
& want to see
“real” victims
and look at that kid
no shoes, shit
let’s get some tequila on the other side
& “authentic” food but how can you eat this?
my people, my valley
you & your fucking rainbow
stickers& yr
world eat fish mentality
and fuck i’m not
even religious or catolica
but leave them w/ their virgen, my Tonantzin
appeared to my juan diego, my people
and lets go for a site
visit, let’s see
the colonias
you know-giving me
facts I know by memory,
numbers I don’t need to hear
because it’s my valley, my people
*yes, yes taken out of context.
Yes yes, you will bring funds, $, awareness.
Yes yes I work well with the enemy.
Hermana, Resist is a personal, political zine with literary tendencies which manifest in forms of poetry, free verse, haiku, short stories, journal entries, rants, raves, critiques, commentaries, photos, recipes and dreamy manifestos. 
Ja yes, all of our colonias and hoods have these types.
May I repost this on VL? I would love to have it featured as one of our Poetry month poemas.
Amor and gracias como siempre por tu vision.
yes, totally, that would be cool. On these types-we have to take the good w/ the bad don’t we.
Noemi, I’m linking to this poem today at XPD. Your voice is really strong here. I like the repeating of “my valley, my people” that serves to balance out the [justifiable] anger.
[...] 15, 2009 1. Read Noemi Martinez’s poem “synthesis” HERE, about “…these folks you know the type, they have the feminist fist tattooed on their [...]