There are many talented young poets in Somerville’s “Books of Hope Project.”  And as any poet knows: ” Know thyself.” Well Books of  Hope poet Yolandi Cruz knows herself…intimately!  I decided to include the work of this talented bard in this week’s Lyrical.

*

The Marshall’s Fitting Room

Sorry I’m late
I just came back from the most wonderful date with myself
It was love at first sight
In a Marshall’s fitting room with dancing chandeliers,
flying monkeys and a pair of frozen cactus
For the first time in my life
I had butterflies in my stomach
like we were meant to be

I stood there
Naked
Admiring the most beautiful landscape,
I had seen in my entire life
I had never seen me before

I’m not an architect but her body
was full of diverse composition
Every line falling perfectly
with the subway of the city

Her breast lying loosely from her chest like
wet spaghetti waiting to be dried
Her eyelashes, spring-wet grass being pushed by the wind
Eyes yelling out Help Me!
Help me crawl out of fire I’ve started
My body is aching from the
infinite, constant, darkness I’ve been  living in

Even her insecurities made me fall for her
I was in love

Me: had the most royal name
I am a queen

Me: had the most beautiful smile
I am beauty

Me: had the most soft lips
I am tenderness

She was perfect.

She traced the stretch marks around her body like a map
Contemplating the useless times, she stressed over them
They have become more visible then they should be

She has been through bumpy roads
These yellow street lines symbolize
People physically and mentally abusing her

But she is her worst enemy
No one has hurt her more than herself

I had never met anyone like me
She was beautifully scary
Her reflection a fountain of jewels
erupting from a volcano
Her smile a rain shower of treasures
leaping from hidden chambers

The four walls in my room have trapped me from seeing her
The Pac Sun skinny jeans that will never fit me
The Seventeen Magazine girls with no blemish
The various corsets my family has bought me

I stood in that fitting room for an hour
Forgave me for cancelling our dates in the past
For telling her I would call but never finding
the courage to dial her number
For ignoring her

After our date
I promised me that would be
here,
there,
later,
now,
forever
I promised me to let go of people that mistreating her
I would always remind me
that I am not beautiful
But that I am beauty itself
After all you don’t meet your soul mate everyday

– Yolandi Cruz

*

_______________________________________________
To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to:
Doug Holder, 25 School St.; Somerville, MA 02143.
dougholder@post.harvard.edu