By Kamila Buitrago-Arias
Their eyes tell me
I am a migrante.
And I can feel how some of them
feel sorry for me.
– You here, tan sola, tan mujer.
And I can feel how others
want something from me.
– You here, tan bonita, tan mujer.
Always glanced at with pity or desire,
depending on where their eyes find me.
And I can feel their expectations
when we are together in the room,
breathing under my neck,
making my presence a performance
because of what they assume.
– The pretty face that speaks with an
accent and will know how to dance in our parties.
Nunca ven a la mujer.
They don’t imagine
I have my own story to tell.
From their distance,
lástima o placer,
it’s all their tiny clear eyes seem to observe.
Kamila Buitrago-Arias, colombian. A creative writer whose Moon in Gemini makes her use writing as her amulet to walk through this world. What she values most in life are the treasures hidden in people’s stories. While she is discovering her own, you can find her @ka_buitragoa on Instagram and follow her work in her monthly online newsletter, Kamila Escribe. She currently resides in West Palm Beach, Florida.