San A Ba Biche

Mi abuela’s English consisted of
san a ba biche,

answering the rotary phone with “Que?”
and ages before that

making tamales stuffed with
jackrabbit,

at ninety her memory was still
as good as tortillas,

riding the trolley from the train depot
to downtown Seguin,

woods still grew between there
back then she smiled,

and then she would turn
somber,

some days we were lucky
to eat a handful of beans she said.