Con Todo
John Recendez
Un Deux
Un Deux Trois Cat
oh sure, jump my fence and trample my flowers, crush une feuille
don’t let this enrichment hurt your educated orgueil
oh, do you look down on me, champignon?
you can leave after you leave my saumon ou espadon
“tournesol”, leave my domicile
J'étais ici la première
Encelia and fuchsia for blue eyed stares
Cherry tomato hearted fool
Shovel and trowel for the bees and squirrels in pairs
And give me credit!
Pass me those garden markers and seeds
And this streak; don’t end it
Don’t give up yet when you’ve come this far
Unsweetened tea and gardening gloves for your bleeding hearts
Isn’t the wet soil so much better than cheap cigarettes and college bars?
You really don't want to come and stay a while?
Get out of that stuffy suit and tie
And come frolick among the strawberry plants like a child
Will you cross that path and see
You gotta try looking out for something else
Coyote?
Un Dos
Un Dos Tres Gato
mijo, trajistes más de comer a mi niño y niña?
gracias, ya sabes que aqui solo hay puro sobras y ardillas
veni aqui para un mejor vida para ellos
pero mira como viven! bien flaco de cuerpo y cuellos
solo me tienen limpiando y cocinando
por cierto, una lastima de tu amado
Estábamos aquí primeros
Come the evening when you walk that path
Ride on the back of that metal snake called La Cienega into its nest
And walk from your sea of glass to our little spot by the nature bath
Don’t tire out, past the faded birch I have something to show you
Still past the gravel bowl and radio towers and castor plants
There! Don’t they turn the sky orange-purple-blue?
Pump jacks and radio towers and oil tanks on the horizon
We aren’t done yet Mr. Ballona Creek Watershed, cross that bridge
And sit safe above the herd of metal bison
Come wade with me among the strawberries and koi
And to be arranged like a lily, isn’t this a little more comfortable?
Broken into bite sized pieces to enjoy?
Oh, I’m not blaming you!
Did you prefer when my face was illuminated by the light of a firetruck?
You and your glass, metal, and queues...
It’s so, so much easier than dirtying your sweater and nose
But didn’t you enjoy our walk through the mold on the side of our brick?
Come back and walk with me con todo that grows
Akina? ¹
¹ Indigenous Zapotec for “With Everything?”
John Recendez is a current USC Business Administration major with an emphasis in Finance who writes on the side, often incorporating elements of his indigenous background in his work.
