Brian Alvarado
I’m a righty,
you’re a righty,
so the right side of my face
would be the side I’d get a kiss on,
and my right ear would receive a
“que dios te bendiga”1
from the right side of your face.
I’m a righty,
you’re a righty,
so the left side of my head
would be sore
from misplaced words
and hard lessons learned
by the traditional,
open-palmed right side
of your hand.
But when I did well,
the very same would
feed with candied comforts.
I’m a righty,
you’re a righty,
and next came the leg,
the very same which connected
to the lap on which I sat
when Mother was too weak
to hold me and
protect me from
the evil spirits.
So here I sit,
by your right side,
hand in hand.
1 “May God bless you.”
