A fabulous game called “Love”*

as a child

my parents used to play

this fabulous game:

although the aim

is still unknown 

the game arrived 

to their relationship

as a forgotten quarter does

on an empty street

in Mexico City

it seemed to say:

hey!

are you going to grab me or what?

I have been here all day

and I just wanna go back home

I´m so fucking tired.

back then, dad

pretended to send money

-instead of love-

to mom´s debit card.

the nearest ATM machine

was about an hour away

so we used to cross

the whole town

in our 1970 VW beetle

just to find

that there was no money

or love

or anything else

inside 

mom´s card

mom

dad´s lover

or the neighbor’s dog.

I felt so sad

I just wanted a new pair of socks,

a green pencil

and, perhaps

a tiny little fish

whose love

wouldn’t leave

my hands. 
_____________________________

*Bonus track de la edición traducida de Un rezo para mi padre