Poetry: “my holy lineage” by Aly Acevedo
“the blacker the berry / you know how it goes / shit is sweet / like a crime / like you stole something from it”
Sticky, sweet, and honest, Aly Acevedo utilizes family and the luscious imagery of fruit to reclaim heritage.
my holy lineage
after Danez Smith
/ long ago in my lineage / a first strawberry dipped in sugar /
like we discovered some new kind of candy / patent pending /
another time / my papi & tio climbed onto their abuela’s roof
to shake the tree for oranges / popped the slices in their mouths /
new smile / let the juice fall down sticky on their chin / once there was
the first plumb & whatever mutation got us there / i claim a god /
the blacker the berry / you know how it goes / shit is sweet / like a
crime / like you stole something from it / sweet robbery stuck in
my teeth / my first time in puerto rico / my papi cut a passion fruit in
half / instructed my brothers and i to suck the seeds & pulp /
& now i have a garden blooming within my stomach / a mass memorial
to all the dirt they tried to bury my people in / but we bloomed / &
out of us came the trees / brown bodies blowing in the wind /
mango trees / apple trees / peach trees / pear trees / all my trees /
how i stock up in the grocery store / how i lick the stick from my fingers
after / oh / my holy lineage / my sweet / sweet / family tree /
like we discovered some new kind of candy / patent pending /
another time / my papi & tio climbed onto their abuela’s roof
to shake the tree for oranges / popped the slices in their mouths /
new smile / let the juice fall down sticky on their chin / once there was
the first plumb & whatever mutation got us there / i claim a god /
the blacker the berry / you know how it goes / shit is sweet / like a
crime / like you stole something from it / sweet robbery stuck in
my teeth / my first time in puerto rico / my papi cut a passion fruit in
half / instructed my brothers and i to suck the seeds & pulp /
& now i have a garden blooming within my stomach / a mass memorial
to all the dirt they tried to bury my people in / but we bloomed / &
out of us came the trees / brown bodies blowing in the wind /
mango trees / apple trees / peach trees / pear trees / all my trees /
how i stock up in the grocery store / how i lick the stick from my fingers
after / oh / my holy lineage / my sweet / sweet / family tree /
Aly Acevedo
Aly Acevedo is a Kansas City-based poet. She is currently working on her first manuscript. Aly has been previously published by Glass Kite Anthology, ink & marrow, The World Poetry Movement, and Anti-Heroin Chic. When Aly isn't writing, she is playing with her cats, crafting the perfect playlist or creating in the form of photography.
