grandma, you are the highest mountain of the Andes

a misty tower that kisses the sky, the heavens beam on you

your skeleton bore the backbone for your family

brown, worn hands molded a future from scratch,

turned the pieces of wavering hope and stagnant faith

that danced in your mind to an opportunity that you couldn’t even taste

but your daughters and sons did

grandma, you are the root that bore this big, great tree

born where the sand kissed the sea, you were as defiant as the tidal waves

but you were expected to conform and submit,

forced to dim your blinding glow

that could outshine a thousand suns

but your rebellion seeped through the motions and actions of your love

a sharp tongue, your lips spilled passages of wit,

soft, reminders of your endless devotion

the declarations of your unwavering faith, and the

gentle lullabies that spanned two generations,

in a fluid mix of Spanish and English

between the sips of your favorite red wine

dress me up in your favorite earrings, grandma

you adorn my face, a mirror where you can see your daughter’s eyes,

in rings, necklaces and bangles of precious gold

you see this jewelry as a testament to your survival

a small reward for the sacrifices you’ve made

you try not to tell me so much about the past,

you were always a woman of the future

you choose to relish in the now, but I can’t help but look back,

because I can’t stop admiring and thanking you for what you had done,

from the late nights you were stuck in Manhattan, scrubbing floors and cleaning desks

as your children called for you back in The Bronx, from the nights he raised his voice and told you

to know your place, from the nights where your faith and strength were questioned.

you prevailed

your power will forever amaze me, and you are not shy to remind me my worth

you will not hesitate to uplift me, and tell me what wonders I am capable of,

and as you brush my hair back, placing a loose stray behind my ear

you never fail to remind me what a beautiful woman I am as

you place two golden earrings in my ears, almost as a way of saying

I’ll always be here

 

*The opinions and ideas expressed are solely those of the author, and may not reflect the opinions of The Bronx Brand*

Sofie Vasquez is an Ecuatoriana photographer, and writer from the Morrison Soundview part of The Bronx. As a visual artist, Sofie is influenced by the subtle beauties and the stories of the people who live in The Bronx – and is constantly inspired to fully capture that genuine essence and experience from them through her work.  The Bronx has something unbeatable, you can’t find anything else like it, not even in other boroughs or places in New York. The greatest thing about The Bronx is how in one street, in one avenue there are just pockets of different cultures, making everywhere in The Bronx so unique because it doesn’t replicate itself – it continues to create new things.

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Instagram: @bullsinthebrnx