From “YOU DA ONE” BY JENNIFER TAMAYO

From “YOU DA ONE”

BY JENNIFER TAMAYO

At the airport, we all take a shot of aguardiente

because we all had each other’s faces

When I saw my brother I saw my face

I saw my grandmother I saw my face

I saw my aunt I saw my stupid face

On the way up the mountain I saw my face in a pile of trash

I saw my face in the mule’s ass

I saw my lover I saw my face but it was white & weary

I saw my brother again and there was my face;

               my other brother, my other face

I saw my face in the American Apparel ivory chiffon blouse

I brought for this occasion

In the occasion I saw my face, I did

I saw my face in the pankekes the next morning

My face was in the talk of death

My face was in her teeth, the pavement, etc.,

There was a jail cell at the Museo Nacional, I saw my face

A woman flowercunted & crosslegged, my face & my face

Everywhere my face like I didn’t have one

Botero’s asses all my faces

I took down notes when it came to torture

& the inquisition and saw my face in the leather swing set

Clavicle spikerest & eye ruptrest

Faces, I suppose, are a type of torture

to look like one but never be one

Transpersonal Philosophy

When the mind is serene
and the heart is flowering,
there is no fertile ground
for cynicism or arrogance.
Nor is there any space for ...
feeling inferior or unworthy.
The pure single undividable
Awareness is recognized as
That which is in/as everyone.
And That is the Tao which was
never born and will never die.