Ménage à trois

My features, they betray me
with their inside joke,
my identity comprised of an awkward three-some.

But when I’m drunk, so I’ve heard,
the southern drawl spills
out like molasses.

I’ve lived my life as a chameleon,
camouflaging into the background,
hidden in someone else’s wild.

I shake my hips to any salsa beat
and can’t speak without using my hands
my latin refuses to be evicted.

Your heritage houses your soul.

But here in the valley, I’ve drawn
curtains around my heart,
making sure to keep its volume down.
Blending in like the furniture.

 Still not quite enough, but almost tolerable
and yet my walk, that Yankee doodle gait,
gives my secret away and  I cannot deny
my body the satisfaction

of its original sin.

 

“saturday selfie”by GR167 is licensed under CC PDM 1.0

TAK Erzinger

TAK Erzinger is an American/Swiss poet and artist with a Latino background. Her poems have been published by The Mojave He[art] Review, The Beautiful Space Journal, The Cirrus Poetry Review, The Curlew, The Rising Phoenix Press and more. Her debut collection “Found: Between the Trees,” (Grey Borders Books) was released in April 2019 www.greyborders.com You can hear a podcast interview with her at www.swisspat.com

Written by 

TAK Erzinger is an American/Swiss poet and artist with a Latino background. Her poems have been published by The Mojave He[art] Review, The Beautiful Space Journal, The Cirrus Poetry Review, The Curlew, The Rising Phoenix Press and more. Her debut collection “Found: Between the Trees,” (Grey Borders Books) was released in April 2019 www.greyborders.com You can hear a podcast interview with her at www.swisspat.com

3 thoughts on “Ménage à trois

  1. Thank you Melanie and Kim for your comments! It is such a blessing to hear from you and know that my poem has spoken to you. I hope. The New Year started well for you both. May peace be with you. Be well. Kind regards, TAK Erzinger

  2. But when I’m drunk, so I’ve heard,
    the southern drawl spills
    out like molasses.

    I. Love. This!

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