Isabela Nicole

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By:Nicole Manzana

4916 Lowry Road,
Union City, California

Like a womyn
Greed stripped my home bare
Confined material memories of family photographs, furniture, into recycled boxes
I still hear the chilling sounds of ripping tape
Heavy weight
Boxes dropped
From the UHAUL
Left dusting away in my Uncle’s garage floor

Every living soul removed from inside of her
Each packed crowded in a home exceeding maximum occupancy
Seven people in a house built for four

From time to time I Google my address
Checking the status
Click on the first few blue links
Each popping up
Pornographic images of a vacated home
Strangers scrolling through each page

    Oooo a wide-open living room
    If the size of 1 Bathroom ain’t enough, she has .5 more
    Cozy bedrooms
    A kitchen to cook hot food..ooo steamy

Sickened by the strangers
Whose eyes enter private spaces
Who will never understand the life of my family
the people once there
I see it different

the front door thirsts for WD40
each rusty creak does not make me cringe
rather joyed for someone has arrived
followed by sounds of uncut canine nails pacing on the wood floor towards the door
Buttercup cries in joy with a nonstop wag
My mom enters exhausted from 10 hours of work
One arm wrapped with her lunch pal bag
Calling me down
“How was school today?”
Requesting a warm embrace
Running back up stairs
Stoves set high
The aroma of her warm cooking
More distinct on the second floor
As it hits my face
My father in front of the bathroom mirror over the sink
Singing his renditions of popular songs like
Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”
“Every night in my dreams I see you
    You see me ohhh I see you too!”
As he finishes moisturizing his body
Slicking his hair back like The Fonz
Before he puts on his nursing uniform
Concealing fear of mental patients not staying calm
I cannot forget about my brother Monz
Surrounding his small room
With themes of music
Posters
waking up to
Tupac
Aaliyah
John Coltrane
When not at work
He picks up his trombone
I can hear his
Melodious tone
Fresh produced beats
Prepared with personal rhymes
penetrating through my bedroom walls
as l lay in my covers taking the beauty
the warmth of it all

Now if strangers want the truth
Google does not have the answer
Sq ft dimensions
photographs
Prices

Will never be enough…

I
     My family

                  We are the only link