Reunion
– Javier Etchevarren, translated from the Spanish by Jesse Lee Kercheval
Mama works less
and hugs me more.
She waits for me
at the school doors
with an apple pie
(no matter that I
am 30 plus years old).
My older brother
has not lost his job.
Luckily,
he has quit smoking
in our bedroom.
My middle brother
has stopped breaking
his back for others
and uncorks an expensive wine.
My father
—who has quit drinking—
returns to the house
and asks forgiveness.
We forgive him.
We smile for the picture
while weeping with joy:
all my family reunited
in this poem.
For more information on Javier Etchevarren, please click here.
My Facebook page.
A big thanks to Alison for curating these beautiful poems.
Condofire 