Joe Karate Y La Llorona

Back in Junior High
Henry would hang around
with his cousin Joe Tovar.

He was into karate
and one day on the football field
after school

he kicked Henry
in the solar plexus
and knocked the wind

out of Henry Aeolus.
That’s how he got the name
of Joe Karate.

Only one thing scared him---
when he was chased by Chevo,
the mentally handicapped

chicano kid in special ed.
or whatever they called it
back then.

Anyway, Chevo would chase
his favorite people
around the halls of Joe F. Saegert Jr. Hi.

and Joe Karate
was one of them.
Joe hated Chevo like everybody else.

The wilderness in Chevo’s mind
sprouted Rousseau jaguars suddenly
and the jungle blackened in spoiled fruit.

The flies seemed to be named Quetzalcoatl
but their wings were blonde
like Marilyn Monroe.

Of course, there was no accounting
for what went on in Chevo’s confused mind
and a thunderstorm surrounded the lightning

while Henry’s cousin karate chopped
the rain that threatened
La Llorona’s children.