El Palacio de Bellas Artes / The Palace of Fine Arts

EL PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES /

THE PALACE OF FINE ARTS

By Fernando Esteban Flores

In Mother's house

there were no works of art

no objects of beauty

only the toil of women

quietly at work

Hands that shed their softness

to accept a harsher role

Floors lacquered to a diamond shine

to rival the gleaming stars

Curtains laced & freshly starched

like fluted Grecian marble

a ballet of bodies

Arms & legs & feet

sweeping swaying lifting

dancing to a symphony

of cleanliness & order

Backs bent to the grand

Minutiae of daily tedium

In Mother's house

there were no Rembrandts or Picassos

only rare remnants

of past remembered

Smiles hugs or

hands waving adios

On the dining room table

a vase with a solitary yellow rose

from Grandmother's flower beds

set on laundered white starched linen cloth

deftly knitted

smooth & lasting

Her fingers threaded

to her soul

FERNANDO ESTEBAN FLORES

Fernando Esteban Flores is a native son of Tejas, graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in English and has taught writing at various San Antonio secondary schools.

He was selected as Teacher of the Year three times (twice at SSAIS D, Dwight Middle School-1992/2002 and Robert C. Zamora Middle School-2008, SSAISD) and South San Antonio Independent School District’s Teacher of the Year for 2008. He was also a candidate for Trinity University’s Prize for Excellency in Teaching 2008. In addition, he received 2 ExCEL awards for excellence in teaching from KENS 5-TV.

Fernando is the founder of a group of eclectic seasoned and emerging poets, Voces Cósmicas who have been promoting poetry, art, and music at different venues throughout San Antonio since 2012.