by Alberto O. Cappas
The passage opened a door
to an unwanted journey,
handing me a two-way ticket I never knew I held—
my roots pulling me back into a twilight zone,
where memories recaptured
remain unconnected to uncertain connections.
I left with my unknown innocence
when it was too late to grow together,
with no wings prepared to guide me.
Upon my return,
I found an Abuelo well positioned,
earning family honors.
A title reshaped by assimilation,
a tradition altered by distance,
granted by love I did not raise.
He built the house,
and I honor the bricks,
even as my shadow follows his spirit.
There are no mistakes.
There are no regrets.
Choices carried me where I did not want to go,
decisions placed me where I did not want to be—
nothing aligned with my intentions.
Roots no longer carry my branches.
No fault of the blueprint.
I am no longer a tradition of an innocent generation,
a fate unable to glimpse my absence,
misunderstood by circumstance.
The passage halted,
forcing me to play the game—
unconnected to the connected,
playing roles downstairs or upstairs,
planted on stage by two innocent actors.
Fate will not allow me to tear down the wall
before I am called to begin a new journey.
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ABOUT THE POET ~
Puerto Rican poet, publisher, community activist; born in Puerto Rico, raised in New York City. Alberto is the publisher of "Dona Julia", a collection of poems; his most recent publication: "Back to the Twilight Zone, A Puerto Rican Colony in Buffalo, NY", published by Buffalo Latino Village. Alberto is the writer of the well-known, The Educational Pledge (La Promesa Educacional), widely used in public schools. Alberto is also the publisher of the East Harlem Journal, a monthly platform addressing arts, culture, and politics in East Harlem.
