80’s Sur Gaye, California
© 2022 by Melisa Puga [Excerpt]
I am from hot concrete and graffiti walls.
A place where the taquerias, liquor stores and botanicas
abound along with melanin and generational trauma.
I am from The City of Azaleas.
A place where electrical transmission towers line the way
down Southern Ave to the LA River made of concrete.
Not a lot of nature for a place that adopted a flower as their symbol.
Did you know that Azaleas are poisonous?
Just like family secrets.
I am from a place that starts to vibrate early on Saturday
mornings with different types of music that echo loudly out of
homes, cars, and tienditas all weekend.
Play that music loud, it helps curate the illusion of
happiness that will power us through the weekend and late-
night festivities.
From SELA Narrative Poetry Zine Vol. 1
Emerging Poets / Nuevos Poetas
Palabra de South Gate & Huntington Park Fall’22/Winter ’23
