An Immigrant Mother’s Monologue

A poem written on Dominican Republic’s Independence Day

An Immigrant Mother’s Monologue on Dominican Republic’s Día de la Independencia // 02-27-24

How do I make sure
she knows 
I learned to roll my rrrrr’s 
before I ever said, “Hello?” 

How do I make sure 
she realizes she has two 
red, white, and blue 
flags to call her own? 

How do I make sure
she loves this land
of the brave and the free, 
and also mi tierra, 
where cayenas burst in color
and mangos weigh down trees? 

How do I make sure
she learns about a culture not yet hers? 
That there is this country 
on half an island,
colocado en el mismo trayecto del sol.
Where the warm winds sway
in a merengue with the shore.  
Where people laugh in español.  
Where half of her (yo) was born.   

And how do I 
remind myself that it’s ok 
if I also want to be 
part of los dos? 

   - r.e.g

Spanish to English word index: 

1. Mi tierra. My land/my country.

2. Cayenas. Hibiscus flower.

3. Colocado en el mismo trayecto del sol. “Placed on the sun's trajectory,” a famous line from Pedro Mir’s poem about the Dominican Republic—Hay un país en el mundo. (https://www.poemas-del-alma.com/pedro-mir-hay-un-pais-en-el-mundo.htm) Fun fact: Pedro Mir is the DR’s national poet.

4. Merengue. The national dance of the Dominican Republic.

5. Español. Spanish.

6. Yo. Me/myself.

7. Los dos. Both.