Part I

I am the stuff

life is made of,

the stuff

of tortillas

and macaroni&cheese.

Part II

Tonight,

I am ugly.

Part III

You

are a spoon,

           so please

feed mí.

Part IV

When you are here,

My queer

my legs open

like

an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

Part V

Take an empanada

and cigarette

and try sitting

under an orange tree,

and hear the whispers

of the orange blossoms

blossom.

LUIS LOPEZ-MALDONADO is a Xicanx poeta, choreographer, and educator, born and raised in Southern California. He/Him/They/Them earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California Riverside, in Creative Writing and Dance. His/Their poetry has been seen in The American Poetry Review, Foglifter, The Packinghouse Review, Public Pool, and Latina Outsiders: Remaking Latina Identity, among many others. He/They also earned a Master of Arts degree in Dance from Florida State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame. He/They are currently adding his glitter to the Land of Enchantment, working for the public education system as a high school Bilingual and Special Education Teacher.