by Marlena Maduro Baraf (White Plains, NY)
I am a palatable woman
I’m a palatable old
a palatable white
a palatable jew
a palatable latina
not a palatable latina
too white
too jewish
who is?
who is palatable?
sugar-coated jew
should one be
should one not pretend
should one not pretend
are you?
pre-tending
tending
under-standing
finger-licking
tooth some crone
are you?
paleta – flat on your tongue
open wide
arghhhhh
you’re acceptable
for now
palateámosnos
pat ourselves on the back
sweetness!
pinch her cheek
engineered
to be palatable
pleasing
merely agreeable
barely tolerable
you’re ok
you’re ok
as long as
you hide
you hide
nose
teeth
wrinkles
don’t cackle
be a lady
mientras aquí
palatum
roof of the mouth
foot in roof of the mouth
– don’t gag
smile
Glossary
a paleta – a small, flat, wooden board used by doctors and nurses to press down on the tongue and look into a person’s throat.
palateámosnos – Let’s pat ourselves on the back. (usually used in a congratulatory way)
mientras aquí – while here (on this Earth)
Marlena Maduro Baraf was born and raised in Panama and left her tiny land for Los Estados Unidos when she was fifteen. She is author of the memoir At the Narrow Waist of the World.Marlena’s writing has been featured in Ms. Magazine, Lilith, The Jewish Book Council, Night Heron Barks, Poets Reading the News, and elsewhere. She writes the newsletter Breathing in Spanish, where she interviews immigrants from all walks of life. You can learn more about Marlena at: https://breathinginspanish.substack.com/
The Jewish Writing Project 