In order to view this poem with the line breaks the author intended, we suggest reading it on a computer screen or in landscape orientation on your phone or tablet.

Los Pretenders (The Lines of Our Lives)

All of the lines are not the same
the tattooed lover boys saben esto, que
the best cuss words in Spanish begin with
un “P”. Others in the lines sing about
their neon private lives or flip around the brass coins
in their pockets. All during the mellow
these people share real things to say. How
the achievements by the boardwalk and mysteries
near the churro vendor were like precious
phone calls that got strangers and butchers
to stop their sobbing about dias en el campo
con un amor eterno.

It still amazes me how most people in lines
will wait in a type of compelling silence. As if
the space invaders will arrive but with good
booze and clean ironed button downs for all.
The shirts resting royally all the way up
to the neckline. The crowds then moving toward the table
where colorful neckties look like a garden
on a warm spring day. No one realizing
the real work begins tomorrow in a large
room full of cubicles with extra toppings
of middle-aged solitude. And computers covered
with pictures of the family dog.

—
Christopher Rubio-Goldsmith was born in Merida, Yucatan. Much of his writing explores growing up in a biracial/bilingual familia. He is a two-time Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee. His work has appeared in Sport Literate, the anthology America We Call Your Name, and other places.

Know anyone who might appreciate reading Christopher’s poem?
Why not share the link to this page?

Click here to return to the Table of Contents.