I.

mama told me she was at work when she heard someone got

greedy & you stopped

breathing

queue up

your best hits but you’ve only been

gone for an hour

we are never unprepared to honor the dead

la reina de tejano

como me duele

inside mama’s stomach

you are gone when i get here

that same year

II.

filled stadiums todos los trabajadores de los campos

seas of skin that knew

the sun

the daughter

of texas

you will not pronounce the EX

tejas forever & ever

in my house

i knew only half of mama’s tongue so you made sure i sought out the scary part

she says you were the most beautiful & they hated you for it

your smile most of all

not everyone that smiles back is happy for you & como

me duele

III.

we all

bidi bidi bom bom

tonight

i’m at a wedding

unsure if it is my own

song so good make my politics go

missing

somebody is the happiest they’ve ever been today

no lo puedo controla

mama said i’m the most beautiful and they hate me for it

we’re twins that way & i don’t mind being hated with you

we all queen of something tonight, ¿verdad?

we are loved because we say

IV.

so you crossed over before you crossed over

we are greedy in that way

V.

amor prohibido murmuran por las calles

what becomes of the bitchboys in the barrios

when their queen is dethroned?

when mama found me on my knees

praying away all my prohibido

she says i love you mucho see

she slips into spanish when she wants to

make sure i am listening

how did you know

all my amor

was prohibido see

you were gone

when i got here.