In Tres Piedras

God is a furious woman
who shouts in Spanish about our hearts.

Straw brown hair falls over shoulders
of a black wool jacket that is too much

for this weather. When there is nothing
but glass between her and four customers

who make small talk in the diner, her
obscenities are English. If you're racist,

accept it motherfucker. You worthless
pile of shit. Who are you, goddammit?

Who do you think you are?

The waitress, who knows

her, is alarmed. She
locks the door, as she has before,

and calls the son, who
promises to come again.
© Steven Schroeder

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