Adriana Carpio

Stored Dolls

 

We lived in our world of dolls and jump rope,

Collected bugs and each other’s tears,

Rubbed alcohol on ripped skin in the absence of parents.

Said our prayers together to keep

the boogie man away.

 

Our dolls now sit in two different closets,

They’re purpose has long been lost

To the day the door slammed,

And to the excuse of too many miles between us.

Alone in the dark they long for the days of jump rope.

 

Sitting in the same place with half-opened eyes and a tilted face,

I decide to pack her wrapped in my humility.

I will send her to play miles away.

Meanwhile, I’ll sit in this closet waiting

She will come in a box packed with a jump rope.

 

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L.A Traffic

 

Another day stuck in L.A traffic.

Wasting away in a six-windowed box,

Alone with my thoughts with 5 mph of time.

My habitual numbness wears off;

 

Rotten routine’s running my life

Drive to my copy, paste, print job.

Drive to my lecture, demanding, better-stay-alert class.

Drive to 6 hours of homework, sneak in a bite, and sleep, house.

Wake up to the repetitive snoozing alarm.

 

My habitual numbness wears off;

Alone with my thoughts with 5 mph of time.

Wasting away in a six-windowed box.

Another day stuck like L.A traffic.