By Chris Campanioni
My father learned English
On the radio—
Sing-song Santiago Spanish
“Rocks Off,” The Rolling Stones
Your mouth don’t move
But I can hear you speak
So many questions
People want to know
What makes me what I am
I tell them the way I was raised
I tell them
Ga-ga-BOOM
Ga-ga-BOOM
Music everywhere in the house
Learning English
On the ratio
Of aguacate y cebollas
Kiełbasa
Equal parts
We held our hips
With each other’s hands
Formed a line
Carne-con-pa-PA
Carne-con-pa-PA
Close to madness, we suffered
Such hunger
My mother learned English
Just by listening
Too poor to afford
Even that simple luxury
Audio or visual
Mistaken for a storyteller
When she stood silent
Eyes closed and wondering
Like holding the hand
Of her child
Chris Campanioni has worked as a journalist, model, and actor, and he teaches literature and creative writing at Baruch College and Pace University, and new form journalism at John Jay. His “Billboards” poem responding to Latino stereotypes and mutable—and often muted—identity in the fashion world was awarded the 2013 Academy of American Poets Prize. His novel, Going Down, was selected as Best First Book at the 2014 International Latino Book Awards.
