The South of America
In elementary school geography
we memorize and sketch
trade good maps of nations
Guatemala is bananas
Chile is copper
Venezuela, petroleum
We see the drawings
and the landscapes
not the population.
Preparing our children
to be robber barons
with the math of imperialism
cheap fruit + disposable growers
= satisfied supermarket shoppers
Product > people
All these personas
crossing our borders
What’s it to do with me?
I’m just sitting here
peeling a yellow fruit.
© Rebecca Cuningham 1/22/20
I have written mostly prose the past year while working on my memoir about traveling and studying in Spain. I’ve been itching to write more poetry again. This piece is inspired by what I read recently about banana growing. See this previous post.
Wishing you a delicious fair trade, organic banana on your cereal tomorrow. ; )
Gracias for reading Fake Flamenco! ¡Olé! –Rebecca
Fake Flamenco 
Wonderful poem.
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Thank you very much!
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Loved your poem, Rebecca. Perceptive in the truth it reveals.
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Thanks Rosaliene. Glad it speaks to you.
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Oh I know, such disconnected school curricula and world reality. Nice poem!
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Thank you kindly! Muy agradecida.
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Why am I thinking United fruit, Chiquita and García Marquez? 🙂
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Gracias, exactamente!
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PS. Daughter #2 just did a research last year on gender issues in the sugarcane growing fields of Veracruz… Frightening.
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Interesting, doctoral work?
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No. She has a Masters in development from GWU in DC, now she’s an international development consultant specializing in gender issues.
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