Garcia’s work bears traces of his influences: from jazz to hip hop to Langston Hughes.
“Grandfather”
Orphan child elder
father of my mother
you
walked
through park to watch men play baseball
alone
my cousins and I
watched you smile
as aluminum slapped leather
across space called sky
this is how I remember you
grandfather
orphaned by TB mother
decades ago
brother
days ago
death is daily
grandfather and tau protein
metal chair in hand
walk
down steps to sit on stoop
outside
projects with cigar in mouth
to drink Cafe Bustelo
grandfather and amyloid beta protein
now
your eyes stopped dreaming
of returning home
stopped asking when
you will
walk
through platano treed conuco field
again
grandfather and amyloid beta and tau protein
when you pass
take time and questions
leave memories behind
play one last prank
pretend you are alive
dream through my eyes
remember conucos and
walk
with me
Kenny Garcia was born and raised in New York City. Influenced by hip-hop music, slam poets, and Langston Hughes, Kenny has performed his poetry in New York, Michigan, California, and Palestine. He has workshopped his poetry at Voices of our Nation Arts (VONA) writing workshops. Kenny graduated from SUNY-Binghamton with a degree in History and English-Creative Writing. He currently works as a librarian at CSU-Monterey Bay, and lives in Marina, California with his partner, daughter, and pet fish.
Boukra Press 