Trans

Trans

A meditation on a prefix

Un prefijo

*

Trans explains to me

Nothing is fijo

M’hijx

Let me tell you bout

borders and boundaries…

The natural ones everchange

evolve, converge, erode, shift.

The ones that are humanbuilt

are not immutable, either.

They are constructs, cónstricts,

made of arrogance or myopia or politics

muros, piedritas, lines in sand, bricks.

Trans nods to Impermanence

quotes Buddha and Baldwin

de que nada is fixed

*

Trans invites me to sit

on the floor in front of them

Braids my hair

Let me tell you bout

brains and souls…

One seeks order,

to organize, categorize, compartmentalize, name.

And One seeks meaning

in the Manyways of Knowing.

Uno quiere ubicarse en este universo

made of words and bodies, sílabas y células, lengua y lodo,

sin atraparse en correcto e incorrecto.

Trans winks at Genre

un guiño of knowing, by their breath and in their bones,

I exist because you exist

Trans stands at the window

Lip-points at the sky

Cariñx

Let me tell you bout

journeys and destinations…

Sometimes it’s all about la llegada,

having found yourself in a place you meant to go.

A veces se trata del camino,

the llegando, the going, the moving, the flow.

Both And Always there is the truth of arrival in each step

crossing the fickling fronteras of the Aireaguatierraluz,

and ever at the center of your own geographies.

Trans whispers of Freedom and Freire

floating in The Everywhere and Inbetweens

easing on down the roads we make by walking

*

Trans packs me a lunch

Kisses my forehead

Sends me on

con consejos bout

boats and bridges…

Both can take you, with oars or architecture,

a un lado u otro.

If that is where you want to go,

pues, pórtate bien.

Pero fíjate también en las corrientes

that flowblow ready to carry you where they will,

and for where you will, keep your jetpack handy.

Trans sends besitos to River and Wind

burbujabreeze missives, saludos, in lak’ech wishes

a cada quien ~ tú eres mi otro yo

*

Trans watches me

Make your way

M’hijx

Go seehearfeel for yourself bout

paths and ports and puentes…

I go. On senderos hechos por otros who thought they knew

where I was meant to go, y los que hago yo.

Carrying myself well–no de bien educada, ni mal criada

with shaking finger accusations blocking my way.

Lingering on bridges, listening to corrientes and compañerxs,

a conversation–lifting off–a murmuration

and then alighting with whom and when and where I will.

Trans grins at the starlings

sings of crystals forming, metals magnetizing, earth avalanching

the verb and verse of agilely becoming and becoming and becoming

*

Trans arches their eyebrow

at the guy who says

the problem with you is you’re confused about who you are

Smiles when I say, equanimously, let me tell you bout

borders and boundaries…

Déjame contarte bout walls, alambradas, padlocks,

y las rejas, a wrought mix of curlicues and spikiness.

They want to look pretty as they keep out, or in,

and let us peek through their fraught iron bars.

You say I should color to the edges of the hard lines you drew,

speaking to me in cursive, juzgando what is true,

what is other, what is same, ignorando, negando the boundaries I claim.

Trans sighs

closes their eyes, thinks on

power, resistance, patience, persistence

*

Trans welcomes me home

con una sopita de fideo

Mi amor

Tell me bout

how you know and who you are…

I tell. I dove under, floated along, hovered above, zipped beyond

observé las líneas y observé mis propios respiros

salté rejas y sentí saltar los latidos de mi alma

danced the ancientfutureheartbeat remix

felt the fluxmagics of the matrix

I am fixing, forming, ever-itioning, cending

I am because you are

Trans wraps me up en un abrazo y susurra

Es cierto, Lindx,

soy porque somos

*

Ahora…

Aliméntate con este caldo

de verduras y verdades

Fortalécete for we need you

nourished and strong

stomach, spirit, shoulders

navegando corrientes profundas, profundidades corrientes

undulations, overlutions, everlations, resolutions

revolving revealing loving wounding healing

molecule, organism, pueblo, tehuacán

existential connected potential

being becoming begun

aunque casi todo se cura

con vinagre o vaporú

si ceso de existir yo

también cesarás tú

Nothing is fixed

Nada es fijo

M’hijx

💜

Want to hear this poem read aloud?

6 Comments

  1. I really like how you throw in names of Buddha, Baldwin, Freire because I believe that most of the ancient and modern prophets would agree with you….gender boundaries are a construct. Are you on Wattpad? I’d love to follow more.

    Like

    1. thanks! I like thinking about Buddha, Baldwin and Freire all having a chat…and I’d love us all to have a chat about constructs we build and the traps they can become.
      & thanks! I am not on Wattpad but I’m going to take that as encouragement 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. This is the most beautiful thing, Olivia. Many lessons of love and of rise that you are sending out into the world of late – My heart hears. Always in awe to work by your side.

    Liked by 1 person

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