A poem for National Poetry Day

'Six'/'Seis' from my new zine 'Six Poems'.

I’ve already shared this poem on my blog and on Instagram so please forgive the cross-posting me if you also follow me over there. I’ve handmade a small poetry zine Six Poems to accompany ‘Borderland’ (Walcot Chapel, Bath 29 October – 2 November) an exhibition of collage and intaglio print by Pauline Scott-Garrett responding to Donald Trump’s 2018 zero-tolerance immigration policy which enforced the separating of children from their parents at the US border.

The poem I’m posting here, in English and Spanish, refers to a news report from June 2018 about a Salvadoran single father and undocumented migrant who was deported back to El Salvador while his six-year-old daughter remained in US custody. The poem incorporates details from the news story and text from Catholic liturgy. I’m sharing ‘Six’ today because it’s National Poetry Day here in the UK and this year the theme is ‘counting’. My thanks to Lorena Pino Montilla for translating my poem into Spanish – her translation is published below. Lorena and I will be reading poems from my zine, in English and Spanish, on Saturday, 2 November at Walcot Chapel, Bath, at 5pm.

Six

Papá, when
are you getting me
out of here?
asks the small voice
on the telephone
¿Cuándo?

I am counting the days
How old are you now?
*holds up six fingers*
Where is my beating heart?
¿Dónde?
Silence replies

Her little bed
a small country of songs
now a lonely place
Where are you, Papá?
¿Dónde?
Is my voice small?

Have they taken you to church?
Did you see a doctor?
Have you made friends?
*holds up one small hand, one thumb*
Above her bed, her communion dress
Are you saying your prayers?

Bless me, Father
for I have sinned
I do not know how
to count the days
since my last confession
because I am six

I haven’t learned yet
about sin – I am sorry 
Forgive me, Father
for being six
With your help I will try 
not to be six again

Seis

Papá, ¿cuándo 
me vas a sacar de aquí?
Pregunta la vocecita
al otro lado del teléfono
¿When?

Estoy contando los días
¿Cuántos años tienes ahora?
*Ella levanta seis deditos*
¿Dónde late mi corazón?
¿Where?
El silencio responde

Su camita
Un pequeño pueblo de canciones
Ahora, un lugar solitario
¿Dónde estás papá?
¿Where?
¿Mi voz es pequeña?

¿Te han llevado a la Iglesia?
¿Has visto a un médico?
¿Has hecho amigos?
*Ella levanta una manita y un pulgar*
Sobre su cama, su vestido de la Primera Comunión
¿Estás recitando tus oraciones?

Bendíceme Padre
porque he pecado
Yo no sé cómo 
contar los días
desde mi última confesión
porque tengo seis años

Yo no he aprendido aún
sobre el pecado, lo siento
Perdóname, Padre
Por tener seis años
Con tu ayuda, trataré
de no tener seis años otra vez