Mami Character Analysis in The Poet X

Mami is Xiomara and Twin’s mother; she works as a custodian. As a young teen in the Dominican Republic, Mami wanted to be a nun and devote her life to Jesus. However, her parents forced her to marry Papi so that she could come to the U.S., depriving Mami of the future she wanted. Though Xiomara doesn’t question Mami’s devotion, she also notices the scars on Mami’s knuckles and knows that Mami was taught how to be devout in an abusive way. When Xiomara is little, Mami adores her and insists that Xiomara is her prize for being devout, but as Xiomara grows, Mami grows increasingly abusive and controlling. She makes a particular point to control Xiomara’s sexuality; her dating rules are that Xiomara can’t date until after college. Mami also bitterly insists that all men are terrible, neglectful, and abusive, so she believes that Xiomara has no reason to date anyway. Following Xiomara and Twin’s birth, Mami’s devotion increased dramatically and in the present, she attends Mass nightly and often takes Xiomara along when Xiomara is being punished. Mami’s conception of devotion, at least when it comes to Xiomara, is abusive and rooted in pain. She refuses to care for heathens, so Xiomara has no choice but to attend church and be confirmed—and when she does step out of line, Mami forces her to kneel on rice and pray to the Virgin Mary. Mami is entirely unmoored when she discovers and reads Xiomara’s poetry notebook. Xiomara’s poetry about boys, her questions about church, and her conflicted emotions about Mami offend Mami deeply—in part because she sees that Xiomara isn’t ashamed of what she writes. Mami burns the notebook but, when Xiomara runs away for a night, she finally agrees to open a dialogue with the help of Father Sean. Xiomara comes to the conclusion that while she and Mami may never agree or be great friends, they can still love each other, and Mami becomes significantly more supportive of Xiomara after starting counseling.

Mami Quotes in The Poet X

The The Poet X quotes below are all either spoken by Mami or refer to Mami. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

I look at her scarred knuckles.
I know exactly how she was taught
faith.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami

Page Number and Citation: 17

Explanation and Analysis:

As Mami mentions sending Xiomara to the Dominican Republic over the summer to learn devotion, Xiomara realizes that Mami, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, learned to be religious because she was violently forced to be. In this sense, Xiomara sees firsthand that violence is something that gets passed down through the generations if someone doesn’t take the time to interrogate harmful beliefs and stop the cycle of violence. While this does give Xiomara a way in which to humanize Mami—she recognizes that while Mami has always been more devout, this doesn’t mean that Mami wasn’t abused—Xiomara still doesn’t Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim

Their gazes and words
are heavy with all the things
they want you to be.

It is ungrateful to feel like a burden.
It is ungrateful to resent my own birth.
I know that Twin and I are miracles.

Aren’t we reminded every single day?

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Papi, Twin , Mami

Page Number and Citation: 21

Explanation and Analysis:

Xiomara explains what it feels like to be the child of parents who never expected to have children. Because Mami and Papi were so thrilled to have children late in life after years of trying, Xiomara suggests that they channel their hopes, dreams, and expectations into Xiomara and Twin to a greater degree than other parents do. In this way, Xiomara is made to feel like, even more than other people, she has to earn her right to exist and live up to being the miracle that her parents believe she is. However, Xiomara feels as though her parents’ expectations Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Molli

And I get all this attention from guys
but it’s like a sancocho of emotions.

This stew of mixed-up ingredients:
partly flattered they think I’m attractive,
partly scared they’re only interested in my ass and boobs,
and a good measure of Mami-will-kill-me fear sprinkled on top.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Ms. Galiano, Mami, Aman

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

When she tells the reader about how boys and men catcall her, Xiomara shares how the attention makes her feel. Her fear that boys are only interested in her body recalls her assertion that the church is also only interested in her body, though in the opposite way—the church wants Xiomara to be entirely desexualized, while the men who catcall Xiomara want her to only be sexual. In both cases, however, she suspects that they don’t care about her thoughts, which is one of the major reasons Xiomara feels so trapped: until she begins to trust Ms. Galiano, begins seeing Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inve

What if I like a boy too much
and none of those things happen...
they’re the only scales I have.

How does a girl like me figure out the weight
of what it means to love a boy?

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami, Papi

Page Number and Citation: 33

Explanation and Analysis:

Xiomara writes about the two options she sees for what will happen if she likes a boy: either he’ll get her pregnant and abandon her, or he’ll turn her into a bitter person like Mami. Xiomara feels like these are her only two possibilities in part because, at this point, she feels very alone and as though she doesn’t have anyone in her life to relate to or look up to. She feels too big and too different from everyone else in her life, even those who do love her—even Caridad, who does respect Xiomara for her differences, wants to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore

“Good girls don’t wear tampones.
Are you still a virgin? Are you having relations?”

I didn’t know how to answer her, I could only cry.
She shook her head and told me to skip church that day.
Threw away the box of tampons, saying they were for cueros.
That she would buy me pads. Said eleven was too young.
That she would pray on my behalf.

I didn’t understand what she was saying.
But I stopped crying. I licked at my split lip.
I prayed for the bleeding to stop.

Related Characters: Mami (speaker), Xiomara Batista (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 40

Explanation and Analysis:

Xiomara recounts Mami’s reaction when, after Xiomara started her period, she discovered that Xiomara had purchased tampons. First, Xiomara’s reaction to Mami’s questioning (and the fact that prior to this, she had to look up on the internet what menstruation even was) suggests that Xiomara wasn’t prepared for her period at all. With no education about what was happening or an understanding of what her options were, it’s understandable that Xiomara came to the conclusion that tampons were fine. This makes it clear that because Mami doesn’t speak frankly or honestly with Xiomara, especially about her body, Xiomara is doomed Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. El

what’s the point of God giving me life
if I can’t live it as my own?

Why does listening to his commandments
mean I need to shut down my own voice?

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami, Father Sean

Page Number and Citation: 57

Explanation and Analysis:

Xiomara offers some of her questions about religion that she doesn’t feel that she can voice anywhere else. She shows here that because of what Mami and Father Sean preach and teach her, she’s unable to use her own voice or think her own thoughts because she believes that she owes it to God to be devout and not ask questions that might challenge his authority over her life. In this sense, Xiomara sees that God and the church are her main foes, not necessarily Mami or the men who catcall her. This also situates Xiomara’s primary challenge as extricating Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam conse

When I was little
Mami was my hero.
But then I grew breasts
and although she was always extra hard on me,
her attention became something else,
like she wanted to turn me
into the nun
she could never be.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami

Page Number and Citation: 179

Explanation and Analysis:

As part of a rough draft for a writing assignment, Xiomara details how, as she entered puberty, her relationship with Mami shifted dramatically and for the worse. She suspects that Mami, whether she realizes it or not, is perpetuating a cycle of violence that’s tied to religion and, moreover, is trying to make Xiomara compensate for violence and oppression that Mami experienced long ago. Mami does this without taking into account that Xiomara doesn’t want to be a nun and, more importantly, has questions about Catholicism that call her willingness to even be a part of the church into question. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum

I don’t yell how the whole block whispers
when I walk down the street
about all the women
who made a cuero out of him.

But men are never called cueros.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami, Papi, Aman

Page Number and Citation: 194

Explanation and Analysis:

While Xiomara listens to her parents shout about Mami seeing Xiomara kissing Aman on the train, she hears Papi call her a cuero (a whore). Because of Xiomara’s fear, she doesn’t feel able to speak up or fight back for herself. Her parents create an environment in which Xiomara’s words don’t matter—unless they need to hear something specific that she dutifully parrots back—and Xiomara is well aware of this. Then, Xiomara begins to dig into the double standards surrounding the word cuero and the differences between how male and female sexuality are thought of. As a younger man, Papi had Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus volupta

I’ll be anything that makes sense
of this panic. I’ll loosen myself from this painful flesh.

See, a cuero is any skin. A cuero
is just a covering. A cuero is a loose thing.
Tied down by no one. Fluttering
and waving in the wind. Flying. Flying. Gone.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Aman, Mami, Papi

Page Number and Citation: 206

Explanation and Analysis:

After explaining what a cuero is—essentially, any woman who is perceived as being improperly sexual, no matter how she looks or behaves—Xiomara says that she’ll be anything if it allows her to escape from the physical pain of kneeling on rice and the emotional pain that Mami and Papi are currently inflicting upon her. Importantly, Xiomara recognizes that being called a cuero by her parents might not be the singularly horrible thing that she’s learned it is. Instead, accepting the label might give Xiomara the freedom to escape if she rejects her parents’ understanding of the word and embraces her Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possi

“I’m sorry I got in trouble.
I’m sorry I have to be here.
That I have to pretend to you and her
that I care about confirmation at all.
But I’m not sorry I kissed a boy.
I’m only sorry I was caught,
Or that I had to hide it at all.”

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami, Father Sean, Aman

Page Number and Citation: 226

Explanation and Analysis:

When Mami forces Xiomara to attend confession with Father Sean, Father Sean asks if Xiomara is actually sorry for getting in trouble. Xiomara reveals here that she’s not sorry at all about what she did; she’s only sorry that, because her parents are so controlling and repressive, she has to act as though she cares about church or about living up to the version of ideal womanhood that the church promotes. Through phrasing her answer in this way, Xiomara notably begins to speak her truth—and when she’s willing to share this with Father Sean, it suggests that on some level, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore.

But even business deals are promises.
And we still married in a church.
And so I never walked away from him

although I tried my best to get back
to my first love.
And confirmation is the last step I can give you.

Related Characters: Mami (speaker), Xiomara Batista, Papi, Aman

Page Number and Citation: 231

Explanation and Analysis:

Angrily, Mami explains to Xiomara why Xiomara has to reform, undergo confirmation, and stop kissing boys—it’s the one thing that Mami believes she can do to help Xiomara. What’s more, it’s also a way to try and make up for things in Mami’s past that she wishes could have gone differently. Through these words, Mami all but confirms that she wants Xiomara to be so involved in church because Mami never got to become a nun and was instead forced to marry Papi. Mami believes it’s her responsibility to stick with the path she was forced to take which, in Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis conse

I actually raise my hand
in English class
and answer Ms. Galiano’s question.
Because at least here with her,
I know my words are okay.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami, Aman, Twin , Ms. Galiano

Page Number and Citation: 264

Explanation and Analysis:

Following Xiomara’s first poetry club meeting, Xiomara learns that she can trust Ms. Galiano to respect her words and listen to them thoughtfully and considerately. This demonstrates again how language, speaking, and importantly, listening can create a sense of community and trust—and make someone like Xiomara feel seen, heard, and safe. At home, Xiomara feels as though nobody listens to her, so it doesn’t feel like a safe space to be herself. In Ms. Galiano’s class, however, Xiomara now trusts that she’ll be taken seriously and that Ms. Galiano will stand up for Xiomara’s right to exist and be listened Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia ea

I lay it across my wrist
and cinch the clasps closed.
Her daughter on one side,
myself on the other.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami

Related Symbols: The Baby Bracelet

Page Number and Citation: 292

Explanation and Analysis:

For Christmas, Mami gives Xiomara her resized baby bracelet, which reads “Mi Hija” (“my daughter”) on one side and Xiomara’s name on the other. For Xiomara, this bracelet comes to encapsulate her fraught relationship with Mami, since the daughter that Mami wants isn’t necessarily the person that Xiomara actually is. Mami wants her daughter to be quiet, devout, and virginal, while Xiomara now knows how to use her voice to ask questions and advocate for herself—and she’s also experimented with boys and doesn’t feel the need to remain virginal just because the church tells her to. Though Xiomara’s coming of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum volu

I have no more poems. My mind blanks.
A roar tears from my mouth.
“Burn it! Burn it.
This is where the poems are,” I say,
thumping a fist against my chest.

“Will you burn me? Will you burn me, too?
You would burn me, wouldn’t you, if you could?”

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami

Related Symbols: Xiomara’s Poetry Notebook

Page Number and Citation: 308

Explanation and Analysis:

While Mami burns Xiomara’s poetry notebook, Xiomara shouts that her poems live inside of her. This moment represents Xiomara’s understanding that while her notebook offered her a place to organize her thoughts and compose them into poetry, those thoughts do actually exist within her. In other words, she doesn’t necessarily need her notebook for her thoughts to be real and valid, especially since by this point, she has a number of her poems memorized. Asking Mami if Mami would burn her also speaks to the way in which Xiomara recognizes that Mami wants a daughter she doesn’t have. Xiomara isn’t Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Und

She puts a soft hand on my arm
and I look into the face of a woman
not much older than me,
a woman with a Spanish last name,
who loves books and poetry,
who I notice for the first time is pretty,
who has a soft voice and called my house
because she was worried
and the words are out before I know it:

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Ms. Galiano, Mami, Aman

Related Symbols: Xiomara’s Poetry Notebook

Page Number and Citation: 332

Explanation and Analysis:

When Xiomara shows up in Ms. Galiano’s class the morning after Mami burns her poetry journal, Ms. Galiano asks Xiomara to speak privately and asks her what’s wrong. In this instant, Xiomara begins to see Ms. Galiano as a real person, a role model, and a caring mentor—an important realization to make, especially given that Xiomara doesn’t trust Mami or Papi at all at this point. That making these realizations about Ms. Galiano results in Xiomara being willing to tell her the truth about what’s going on at home speaks to the power of kindness and connection to foster trust. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaec

And so, I love this quote because even though it’s not about poetry, it IS about poetry. It’s about any of the words that bring us together and how we can form a home in them.

Related Characters: Xiomara Batista (speaker), Mami, Father Sean, Ms. Galiano

Page Number and Citation: 356

Explanation and Analysis:

In one of Ms. Galiano’s writing assignments in which students must explain why they love their favorite quote, Xiomara chooses a psalm and uses it to prove her newfound belief that the Bible is a metaphor and is poetry. By seeing the Bible in this light, Xiomara is able to find a place for herself in the church that doesn’t feel constricting and that instead lets her feel seen, heard, and valued in a way that interpreting the Bible literally never allowed for. Most importantly, Xiomara is now able to interpret the Bible as something that is supposed to bring Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor

Mami Character Timeline in The Poet X

The timeline below shows where the character Mami appears in The Poet X. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Family, Abuse, and Expectations Theme Icon

...them. She waits for the shadows to get long so she can sneak upstairs before Mami gets home from work. (full context)

Unhide-able. Xiomara says that she can’t hide. She’s taller than Papi, and Mami has always said that she has too much body for a 15-year-old. Boys called Xiomara... (full context)

Mira, Muchacha. “Mira, muchacha” (“Listen, girl”) is Mami’s favorite way to start speaking to Xiomara, and Xiomara always knows that she’s in trouble.... (full context)

...for war,” and Xiomara lives up to that description. She was born via C-section after Mami gave birth to Xavier—Xiomara’s brother Twin—with no complications, and Xiomara feels like people struggle in... (full context)

...forgets to clean the bathroom. Sometimes, it’s positive, like when Xiomara does well in school. Mami’s pregnancy was difficult because of Xiomara; the doctors were concerned that she’d die or kill... (full context)

Mami Works. Mami cleans an office building in Queens. She rides two trains starting in the... (full context)

Tuesday, August 28. Confirmation Class. Xiomara explains that Mami has wanted Xiomara to be confirmed in the church for three years. The first year,... (full context)

“Mami,” I Say to Her on the Walk Home. Xiomara is nervous, but she forces herself... (full context)

When You’re Born to Old Parents, Continued Again. Mami had a baby bracelet engraved with Xiomara’s name and Mi Hija (my daughter) on the... (full context)

...hates that her parents are old. Not even Twin understands the burden that Xiomara feels. Mami sees only Xiomara, Twin, and God, while Papi seems to be serving a silent penance.... (full context)

Rumor Has It. Mami was a snob in the Dominican Republic. She was born in La Capital and all... (full context)

...while Caridad wants to wait until marriage. Caridad respects her parents, while Xiomara listens to Mami because she’s afraid. She thinks that she should hate Caridad since she’s everything Xiomara can... (full context)

Questions I Have. Xiomara wonders who she’d be around boys if Mami weren’t so strict. Xiomara has lots of feelings and notices boys, but she also gets... (full context)

...put one in, but did it wrong and blood smeared all over her legs. When Mami got home Xiomara tearfully asked for help, but Mami slapped her so hard she cut... (full context)

...Xiomara and Twin argue about how Twin doesn’t have to clean half as much, but Mami still likes him better. Sometimes Twin helps with laundry or scrubbing, but he doesn’t get... (full context)

Altar Boy. Mami understands Twin better. Even though he’s a science geek, he likes church and doesn’t question... (full context)

...it. When he and Xiomara were little, Xiomara would come home bruised and bleeding and Mami would scold her for not being like Twin. Xiomara never told Mami that Twin didn’t... (full context)

...taken communion. Today, however, she feels glued to her pew. Caridad raises an eyebrow and Mami elbows Xiomara, but Xiomara stares straight ahead at a stained glass Virgin Mary. Mami whispers... (full context)

...when she was little, she loved Mass. The music was loud, everyone was happy, and Mami cried. Now, when Father Sean talks about Scriptures, everything feels weird and wrong. She hates... (full context)

Not Even Close to Haikus. Xiomara says that Mami’s back is like a coat hanger, and her anger is heavy wool. Mami scolds Xiomara... (full context)

Holy Water. Xiomara listens to Mami and Papi talking about her—they never think that Xiomara and Twin listen in, but it’s... (full context)

All Over a Damn Wafer. Mami forces Xiomara to go to evening Mass with her every day for a week. Xiomara... (full context)

...People think it’s odd how much Xiomara and Twin share, even though they’re very different. Mami wanted to move so they could each have their own room, but Papi refused. Xiomara... (full context)

...and lets her hands move. She lets her body take up space as she speaks. Mami knocks on the door and asks Xiomara what she’s reciting. Xiomara says that she’s reciting... (full context)

Dreaming of Him Tonight. Xiomara dreams of Aman’s face in her hands. She remembers Mami’s words, but she touches his face anyway. Xiomara can feel Aman touching her hips and... (full context)

Date; Mami’s Dating Rules; Clarification on Dating Rules. Xiomara says that this isn’t a date or anything... (full context)

...she relished the secret that she was going to meet Aman. She was afraid that Mami or Twin would know something is up, especially since this morning, she ironed her shirt—which... (full context)

...Xiomara. Today, Twin says that Xiomara looks like something in her shifted. Xiomara wonders if Mami will be able to see that she spent time with Aman. Xiomara wants to tell... (full context)

...leaves Mass, she finds a text from Aman asking what she thought of Kendrick Lamar. Mami scolds Xiomara again for sitting out communion, so Xiomara quickly texts back that she enjoyed... (full context)

Lectures. Mami tells Xiomara to listen. Xiomara’s eyes roll as Mami says that she saw Xiomara and... (full context)

...Leave. Caridad whispers that it’s going to be awful if Father Sean says anything to Mami. Xiomara says that they’re supposed to be curious and asks if priests are supposed to... (full context)

...to find solace in the church and suggests that she speak honestly and openly with Mami. However, he doesn’t answer Xiomara’s questions. (full context)

...X, and Xiomara thinks of how much she loves the nickname. Finally, Xiomara says that Mami loves church. Aman asks what Xiomara loves. She says that she loves poetry and Aman... (full context)

...to kiss her since she was 11. Then adult men wanted to kiss her, and Mami warned Xiomara that she needed to “pray extra” so her body didn’t cause trouble. Xiomara... (full context)

...texting. Twin fixes Xiomara with a stare and says that they’re both messing around and Mami and Papi will kill them if they find out. They don’t need to talk about... (full context)

...to not notice when Twin comes home with a black eye. She finds out when Mami yells at Twin, asking who hit him. Xiomara inspects his eye and says nothing. Twin... (full context)

Sunday, October 28. Braiding. Xiomara thinks about Aman all through Mass, even though she knows Mami will lecture her later. Fortunately, Caridad catches them after church and asks if Xiomara can... (full context)

...ignores Xiomara. Xiomara tells him that she knows he’s probably felt this way forever, but Mami and Papi will kill him if they find out about this boy. Twin says the... (full context)

...without knowing that Twin is gay. She thinks that they’re both scared, since Twin is Mami’s miracle and now he’ll be her sin. Xiomara thinks that she hoped that if she... (full context)

Rough Draft of Assignment 3—Describe someone you consider misunderstood by society. Xiomara writes that Mami used to be her hero. Mami didn’t let not speaking English stop her from defending... (full context)

Ice-Skating. Xiomara says that when they was little, Mami used to take her and Twin skating every year for their birthday on January eighth.... (full context)

...Aman asks her to go skating. He suggests they go tomorrow, since there’s no school. Mami will be at work. Xiomara remembers feeling free on the ice and wants Aman to... (full context)

The Shit & the Fan. Xiomara hears Mami yelling from outside the front door. Mami shouldn’t be home yet, even if Xiomara did... (full context)

...never cueros. Xiomara prays for a miracle and hopes that this is a bad dream. Mami speaks horribly about the kiss and Papi uses the same bad names that kids have... (full context)

...Twin’s voice. He suggests that she sneak out through the fire escape, but they hear Mami coming. Twin stands and balls his hands into fists, but Xiomara knows he’ll never use... (full context)

Ants. Mami drags Xiomara to her alter of the Virgin Mary. She pushes Xiomara down and commands... (full context)

I Am No Ant; Diplomas. Mami yanks Xiomara up by her hair and shoves her face close to Mary’s. Xiomara thinks... (full context)

Mami Says. Mami tells Xiomara that men’s hands are never clean. Even if they smell like... (full context)

Repetition. Mami’s firm grip makes Xiomara nauseous and dizzy. Mami prays while Xiomara feels the rice that... (full context)

...his knife. The peel curled away and he dropped it before giving the fruit to Mami to eat. (full context)

...While You’re Kneeling on Rice That Has Nothing to Do with Repentance. Xiomara thinks that Mami has always had rough, calloused hands. She used to rub Mami’s calluses while they walked... (full context)

Leaving. Twin puts frozen bags of veggies on Xiomara’s knees and cheek. He notes that Mami didn’t make her kneel very long and Xiomara knows it’s true. Twin pleads with Xiomara... (full context)

...knows they’re worried, but what she needs is to curl into a ball and cry. Mami takes away Xiomara’s phone, lunch money, and freedom. She also has to attend confession with... (full context)

...her knees, and she thinks they can’t be together anymore. She wonders if she’d let Mami beat her again to be with him. She wants to be held. (full context)

Sunday, November 11. Heavy. Xiomara asks Father Sean to meet her for confession as Mami looks on. He asks Xiomara to meet him in the rectory. Xiomara isn’t sure how... (full context)

My Confession. Xiomara notes that a person would think she’s pregnant by how Mami is acting. Papi just tells Xiomara to listen to Mami. Xiomara wants to tell them... (full context)

...is Jamaican and speaks with an accent that makes people laugh. When he speaks to Mami, he’s gentle and serious. He says that Xiomara isn’t ready to be confirmed and should... (full context)

How I Can Tell. Xiomara knows that Mami is angry because she speaks quickly in Spanish. Mami scolds Xiomara to not embarrass her... (full context)

Before We Walk in the House. Mami tells Xiomara that she can’t turn away from God. She says that she was ready... (full context)

Wednesday, November 14. A Poem Mami Will Never Read; In Translation. Xiomara gives the same poem twice, first in Spanish and... (full context)

...homework in bed while Twin watches anime without headphones so Xiomara can listen. It’s against Mami’s rules, but she won’t reprimand Twin. A Winter Olympian appears in a commercial and Xiomara... (full context)

...she can keep from crying. Twin stops speaking to her, afraid to upset her, and Mami makes plans to send Xiomara to the Dominican Republic for the summer. Xiomara feels unmoored... (full context)

Pulled Back. Xiomara helps Mami in the kitchen when the phone rings. Mami answers and hands the phone to Xiomara.... (full context)

Thursday, November 22. On Thanksgiving; Haiku: The Best Part About Thanksgiving Was When Mami: Xiomara and Twin help Mami serve American food to homeless people at church. Xiomara feels... (full context)

...felt free? Xiomara recalls being five or six. Papi had watched a karate movie and Mami was at church. Xiomara and Twin were home alone, so they tied shirts around their... (full context)

...Xiomara thinks that she has confirmation class, but remembers that Father Sean isn’t expecting her. Mami wouldn’t know she skipped as long as she’s there when Mami picks her up. Xiomara... (full context)

...She wants to stay and talk, but she sees that she needs to hurry or Mami will know she skipped confirmation class. (full context)

...Hope is a Thing with Wings. Caridad says that class got out early. She told Mami that Xiomara was in the bathroom. Xiomara apologizes for making Caridad lie. Caridad asks if... (full context)

Thursday, December 13. Here. Mami is still angry; Aman has stopped trying to apologize, and Twin seems to be getting... (full context)

Holding Twin; Cody. Xiomara gets home and reaches for the phone to call Mami, but she hears Twin sobbing and runs to him. Xiomara knows something happened with Cody... (full context)

...and takes his glasses off. She tells him that he needs to calm down before Mami gets home and realizes that she forgot to call Mami. Xiomara defines the word brava,... (full context)

Permission. Caridad calls later and asks Mami if Xiomara can come to the poetry event. Mami shoots dirty looks at Xiomara, but... (full context)

Monday, December 24. Christmas Eve. Mami buys three big poinsettias instead of a Christmas tree. Xiomara explains that Christmas Eve is... (full context)

It’s a Rosary. Xiomara tempers her expectations. It’s probably a rosary, since Mami doesn’t believe in any other jewelry. However, when Xiomara opens the box, she sees a... (full context)

...edits. She recites them in her dreams and feels herself getting braver. She writes about Mami making her feel like an ant, about boys catcalling her, and about Aman and Twin.... (full context)

...feels great about it. She realizes she’s running late to church and thinks that soon, Mami will find out that she’s been skipping confirmation class. Xiomara grabs her things and runs... (full context)

The Ugly. Xiomara notices right away that her poetry notebook isn’t on the kitchen table. Mami is sitting on Xiomara’s bed, holding the notebook. Softly, Mami says that she knows enough... (full context)

...sorry and clings to the doorframe to hold herself up. Xiomara wants to leap at Mami, but she is sorry for ever thinking that her thoughts could be private. Mami lights... (full context)

If Your Hand Causes You to Sin; Verses. Mami puts the match to the leather cover and begins to pray. Xiomara leaps and grabs... (full context)

Burn; Where There Is Smoke. Mami stares at Xiomara like Xiomara is insane and keeps praying. Suddenly, they both gasp and... (full context)

...Mother Tries to Grab Me; Returning. Papi puts out the fire with the fire extinguisher. Mami watches him silently, but Xiomara knows that as soon as the air clears, Mami will... (full context)

...Xiomara’s house because she was worried. Xiomara tells her everything. She says that she hates Mami. Ms. Galiano holds Xiomara and soothes her. (full context)

...some way Aman has, since he never forces her to do anything. Xiomara thinks that Mami wants her to be proper, Papi wants her to be quiet, and Twin and Caridad... (full context)

...what she needs to do or how to do it, and she’s not sure how Mami will react. Isabelle shares food with Xiomara during lunch and after bio, Aman holds Xiomara’s... (full context)

Homecoming. Xiomara puts her key in the lock, but she doesn’t turn it. Mami might not be home yet, but she’s in the kitchen wringing a dishrag when Xiomara... (full context)

My Mother and I. Xiomara thinks that she and Mami might not be friends. They’ll never shop for a prom dress or paint each other’s... (full context)

...learns about erosion and how, over time, small streams can break apart mountains. Xiomara and Mami try to break down their own walls by meeting weekly with Father Sean to talk.... (full context)

...Xiomara takes a deep breath and prepares to practice her poem in front of Twin, Mami, and Papi. She feels like she can’t do it, but Twin nods encouragingly. Xiomara finds... (full context)

...Isabelle cheer. Caridad holds Xiomara’s hand, so Xiomara misses Aman and Twin messing around. Because Mami and Papi are in the front row, Xiomara doesn’t see Father Sean. When she does... (full context)

Celebrate With Me. After the slam, Mami and Papi invite everyone to their house for pizza and rice and beans. Mami and... (full context)

...how words bring people together. Xiomara isn’t sure if she’ll ever be as devout as Mami, Twin, or Caridad, but she knows now that it’s freeing to believe in the power... (full context)

Mami Character Analysis

Mami Quotes in The Poet X

Part I Quotes

Part II Quotes

Part III Quotes

Mami Character Timeline in The Poet X