Yesika Salgado

ain’t no room
for heartache
now
in the rearview mirror
we catch a glimpse
of what could have been
but, thank god,
isn’t

you take the word and write it down. one time. two times. say it in English. Fat.

you write it down. hundreds of times. you start saying it to describe yourself. you don’t flinch. others do.

the word gives you power.

they won’t say the word. they prefer thick or curvy or big. you say you want to hear it. like you hear your name.

they call you brave. you say it’s just the parts of you that you can touch.

Gorda. your body answers: hello. I’m here. thank you.

all you have is the years
that are piling around you like dust
soon your heart
will be the last one at the station

I laugh with all of my body.

it all explodes all at once. I can’t breathe then. (the lungs are busy laughing too). my eyes spill a few drops of sky and I shake and shake and shake. I like myself best when I am laughing. bursting. all of me. the best of me