ThePoetry-ThePoets&ThePoetesses
The Poetry
“All Things Cacao”
By Kylina Matteoli
This is not a sexualized poem about chocolate. This is a poem of all things pure nacional; where tree pods shiver away from branches; donde asar, pagar, y moler los granos create a Latin blend of perfection; where craftsmanship, pride and integrity demand favorable weather and conditioned soil; where running water is reserved for the harvest and hydration revolves around spirits and bebidos; where the holistic blessing of pale bones and incense feeds the pods; where electricity is static and online refers to laundry flapping in the wind; where spare change doesn’t refer to el dinero but means a second chance – una educación para los niños – to get them out of the village, out of la dueda; donde chicos en catorce años follow their father’s footsteps to take on another generation – la herencia de la familia – the original cowboy, un gaúcho; donde las chicas couldn’t be call girls even if they wanted to – saving themselves from phone lines and erections – saving themselves para la iglesia; where a whole other world needs to exist in order for chocolate bars to be guilty pleasures in grocery aisles. This is not a sexualized poem about chocolate. This is a poem of all things pure nacional.
ThePoets&ThePoetesses
Kylina is a fourth-year English major at UC Davis. She has had her poetry published in poetry anthologies such as Voyage: This Time Around (Eber & Wein Press) and Omni Diuersitas (Eccentric Press Poetry Anthology, Volume I). She has also been published in online magazines like TipsyLit Magazine. When Kylina’s not studying or writing essays, she works for Book Buddy Digital Media as an author of a teen series titled Once Famous that will be published by Pearson Educational Press next year.
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