Paseo Boricua Pugilist
- Paseo Boricua Pugilist
Dossier: Chicago en la poesía de poetas latines
On another plane On another dimension In a different direction opposite traffic An artist with face fiercely focused Ten steps ahead— Jogs and jabs Six blocks Between Banderas And then returns To do it again and again He speaks to no one and everyone fears him Because he always seems to be battling rage He yells at the street. Some call him “El Loquito” If he could just make it one more time One more time before he’s punched in the gut by hunger Before he’s reminded by an uppercut that he’s homeless If he could just make it across the street To the park and raise his fist under Bandera Hoping they’ll become as hard as Bandera Steel Hoping they’ll be raised victoriously in the ring A dream—he keeps jogging and jabbing With soul in anguish Despite a festival, the traffic, police harassment Nothing blocks him—he dodges all obstructions Sweat soaks his Bandera shorts Everyone watches him—he sees no one Some envy his athletic body—he trains like a champion Weather resistant and resilient in the face of pain Despair has knocked him down many times Yet he still— Jogs and jabs Six blocks Between Banderas
Eduardo Arocho is a poet, author, and professional tour guide. He is the author of six poetry chapbooks. His poems have appeared in Another Chicago Magazine (2022), Wherever I’m At, an Anthology of Chicago Poetry (2022), Irma Romero “Soy mujer mejicana de la clase trabajadora” (2022), We Are by The Chicago Community Trust (2016), Cantalogía I: El amor (2013), El movimiento de los Reyes hacia la estrella sola (2008), Diálogo (2004), Centro Journal (2001), Power Lines (2000), and Open Fist: Anthology of Young Illinois Poets (1993). He is currently completing work on his forthcoming poetry manuscript, Nació Maestro.
