By Fernando Esteban Flores
Era mujer Americana Mejicana
American Mexican woman
born to parents
whose only crime was
to cross a strip of land
that had always been home
Cradled in the lap of misery
Suckled at the hearth of hunger
Risked her roots & like
The mythic Phoenix rose
From the dust of dearth
willed her way into the world
& put on her American-ness
with an eye for fashion
& a bit of understated elegance
measured her success
Valedictorian of her high school class
educated smart pretty
widowed at 25 her drive
became family & finance
Like a Wall Street banker held a firm grip
on a government security rank
Romance behind her
Loyal to her duty & her vows
Modeled femininity’s true grit
Renounced profanity’s cheap perfume
for a more urbane bouquet
Read the classics
Loved enchiladas boleros
telenovelas poetry
mythology & math
Rarely drank never smoked
Took no legal or illegal drugs
Mujer Madre
Madre Mujer
Doble peligrosa
Por ser
Woman Mother
Mother Woman
Doubly dangerous
For being
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.
