The Gulf, 1987 - Deborah Paredez

The Gulf, 1987
By Deborah Paredez

The day upturned, flooded with sunlight, not
a single cloud. I squint into the glare,
cautious even then of bright emptiness.
We sit under the shade, Tia Lucia
Showing me how white folks dine, the high life.
I am about to try my first oyster,
Tia spending her winnings from the slots
on a whole dozen, the glistening valves
wet and private as a cheek's other side,
broken open before us. Don't be shy.
Take it all in at once. Flesh and sea grit,
sweet meat and brine, a taste I must acquire.
In every split shell, the coast's silhouette.
bodies floating in what was once their home.

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