Ave María

When we lose our dreams
To be educated
And are afraid
Of being incarcerated

We pray to you
Dios te salve, María,

When we don’t know
Where to go
To be a Sitting Bull
Or a Standing Rock

We pray to you
llena eres de gracia,

When your naturaleza
Showed us no mercy
And the politicians
Shut down our Borinquen

We pray to you
el Señor esta contigo.

When we’ve picked
All the grapes
Without an actual
Bathroom break

We pray to you
Bendita eres

When our hermanas Negras
Are being maimed
And ashamed
By racism, sexism, bigotry

We pray to you
entre todas las mujeres,

When we fight for
Farm workers’ rights
While hiding from
Our men’s grips at night

We pray to you
y bendito es el fruto

When we walk thru
Hospitals bearing
Generational trauma
From years of sterilization

We pray to you
de tu vientre, Jesús.

When the trees
Sing of pains past
Of joyful times
And all the resilience

We pray to you
Santa María,

When we march
In your shadows
Wearing our
Brown Berets

We pray to you
Madre de Dios,

When we stand
Heads held high
Demanding change as
Young Lords

We pray to you
ruega por nosotros

When we walk
Free and proud
Vomiting rainbows
All over the crowds

We pray to you
pecadores,

When we fill blue buckets
Along the border wall
For our gente to
Safely cross

We pray to you
ahora y en la hora

When our families
Finally have water and electricity
After months of
Restless uncertainty

We pray to you
de nuestra muerte.

When we are afraid
Of being ourselves
And fearlessly be ourselves
All the time

We pray to you
Amén