Inklings 2023

What was it like in Cuba? a land of four horizons engendered a man of rhymes de perpetua the last place you remembered I never asked and still regret hollow hugs I gave in passing you smiled through a cigarette the abuelito I was missing I never asked about your dominoes or how you dropped out of third grade to work, to fill your father’s role you taught your siblings how to play you still spoke bright and eloquent young love spun up a sonnet you took Mary an ocean away verses on a photograph to make her day Do you remember starting a business? putting work and others first rough hands devoted to progress even when the pipes had burst family pictures soaked through my mom stayed at your house when Andrew took the roof and water climbed knee-high still you loved that house the next day con el sol deformando las ventanas the starry charm from your doorway mirándote través de las ondas NICO’S Ryan Berkshire ’23 16