Lorraine Olaya

sana sana

piling tissues / sucking in air / pushing out coughs / a non-functioning left nostril / sniffles /
painted eyelids / pity the baby / come / bathroom / vaporub spread on chest / living room /
blankets piled on tiny body / wonder what’s going on in school today / tv remote / caso cerrado /

todo se soluciona con amor y vivaporu

colita de rana

knees scraped open / bubbling lava trickles down leg / bike wheel still spinning / rain streaming
from eyes / siren wails from throat / painted lips kiss hair / come / inside / kitchen / bandage
peeled / on skin / tears wiped away /

todo se soluciona con amor y una curita

si no sana hoy

forehead radiator / wrinkled knuckles feel my heat / come / bathroom / warmth rising / steam
leaves body / wrapped in towels / trail of puddles / mami’s bedroom / body already reheated /
painted nails / place an icy paper towel on my face / try to sleep / cooking from the kitchen /
bowl and spoon / water salt potato cilantro /

todo se soluciona con amor y caldo de papa

sanarás mañana

—

curtains caress the floor / bedroom empty of light / sob / from the heap / of blankets / painted
cheeks streaked with tears / come / mami’s bed / tissues wrapped in fingers / embrace heat / I
take care of you like you take care of me / the funeral is tomorrow / my eyes become glass /
because your pain wets my shirt / broken / grief is hard to cure / but

mami, como me enseñaste,

todo se soluciona con amor y besitos 

Reading Spanish in English

noon caw           app rend dee           comb oh          lay heir           n            es pan yo

ee           quan dough           ha blab bah           es pan yo,

loss           pal ab brahs           noon caw          may            sa lee yawn           bee yen.

ee           noon caw           ten ee yeah           loss           pal ab raws           core wreck tahs.

may           yeah ma rawn           green gah,

n tone says           joe           may           kay day           caw yeah dah.

moo chose           awn yos           days pwest,

yeah           may hoe ray           me           es pan yo,

pay row           quan dough           lay yow           es pan yo,

toe dah vee yah           sway no            comb oh           green ga.