@Last

It helps to be

non-white
and Catholic

the last death

is easy

it’s the first that’s hard

peeling the apple

to the core

‘til the onion layers

expose an empty middle

and tears

it helps

not to worry

onions grow again

seeded apples

multiply

while feeding the birds

and the small rodents

as the bugs

break bread

it’s never hard 

to be first

when at last

it helps 

never to worry

peeling away

the core

and expose the tear

to empty

to peel

to the layer

and multiply

at last

A. MENDOZA, 2017