The Poet X

by

Elizabeth Acevedo

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Poet X makes teaching easy.

The Poet X: Part III Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Silent World. All weekend, Xiomara purposefully hears nothing. Aman tries to speak to her, but she pretends not to hear. She thinks it’s almost peaceful to stop trying to understand the world.
Shutting down like this is Xiomara’s way of protecting herself, showing that silence, like language, can be a way of making the world easier to handle.
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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 much she’ll say. She enters the rectory and avoids looking at the saints.
Asking Xiomara to meet him in the rectory suggests that Father Sean is going to try to connect with Xiomara more openly than he might in a formal confession, which begins to offer hope that Father Sean is more on Xiomara’s side than she thinks.
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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 it’s not such a big deal—she didn’t get an STD or a baby; it was just a kiss. She doesn’t think this is one of the seven sins. Father Sean joins Xiomara and offers her tea. Xiomara stares at her hands and says that she lusted and disobeyed her parents, but she’s not even sure if she disobeyed since they never forbade her from kissing on the train. Father Sean asks if Xiomara is really sorry. She shakes her head and says that she’s sorry she got in trouble and has to pretend that she cares about confirmation, but she’s not sorry she kissed a boy.
Again, Xiomara’s questions to Father Sean are perfectly valid, and it’s a step in the right direction to be so direct with Father Sean about her qualms. This scene suggests that on some level, Xiomara does trust Father Sean to not treat her violently like Mami did, since this is the most truthful she’s been with anyone about what happened to her and how she feels about it. This begins to situate Father Sean as an ally, even though Xiomara is pushing away from the church in general.
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Quotes
Father Sean Says. Father Sean says that God is forgiving and understands that people are weak. However, he only forgives people if they’re actually remorseful. Father Sean suggests this is about more than just a kiss.
It’s possible to read Father Sean’s reply as either extremely condescending or somewhat supportive, but it suggests either way that he believes Xiomara will have to come to her own conclusions.
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Prayers. Father Sean 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 have time to answer some questions. He assures Mami that it’s not what Xiomara confessed; it’s her questions and comments. Father Sean would like her to come to class but not be confirmed. Mami looks like someone stole her joy. Father Sean reminds Mami that anger is a sin, just like whatever Xiomara did. Xiomara isn’t sure if Father Sean just blessed her or signed her death sentence.
Being willing to reprimand Mami for getting angry with Xiomara suggests that Father Sean is truly on Xiomara’s side, even if he can’t guarantee that Mami won’t beat Xiomara again at home. Xiomara’s inability to recognize Father Sean’s support at this point speaks to her fear of Mami and her (understandable) distrust of the church and of Father Sean, since he preaches church doctrine that she finds questionable.
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How I Can Tell. Xiomara knows that Mami is angry because she speaks quickly in Spanish. Mami scolds Xiomara to not embarrass her in church again and tells Xiomara to fix herself. She says that she won’t tell Xiomara again, but there will be big changes.
For Mami, Xiomara’s behavior reflects on her and, she believes, makes her look bad. This suggests that she wants to look powerful in front of the congregation no matter what Xiomara wants or needs.
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Before We Walk in the House. Mami tells Xiomara that she can’t turn away from God. She says that she was ready to marry God when she married Papi. It was God’s punishment to make her marry Papi, withhold children, and make her question if anyone would ever love her. But Mami says that she and Papi married in a church, so she’ll never walk away. Confirmation is the last thing she can give Xiomara, but Xiomara is sinning just like her parents. Mami doesn’t know if Xiomara is more like Papi or like her.
Mami’s comment that Xiomara is like her opens up the possibility that Mami’s past wasn’t as devout and perfect as Xiomara has heard, though it’s also possible that Mami is referring only to her forbidden desire to be a nun. It’s worth noting that forcing Xiomara to be confirmed won’t actually fix anything for Mami; fixating on this only causes pain and suffering for all.
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Quotes
My Heart Is a Hand. Xiomara feels her heart turn into a fist. It shrinks like a raisin or like a t-shirt that’s too tight. Her fingers have nothing to hold, so her nails leave marks in her palm.
Noting that her hands hurt themselves suggests that on some level, Xiomara recognizes that she’s only hurting herself by remaining silent.
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Wednesday, November 14. A Poem Mami Will Never Read; In Translation. Xiomara gives the same poem twice, first in Spanish and then in English. She says that her mouth will never surrender or apologize to Mami or to God. Mami wants Xiomara to think that it’s her mouth’s fault, but Xiomara points out that Mami’s mouth hurts her. Xiomara can’t talk since she knows that Mami won’t listen. Mami’s silence is dark, but Xiomara notes that moths always seek the light, even though they might burn.
This poem becomes a manifesto of sorts and suggests that Xiomara is coming to new conclusions. She seems to understand that her body isn’t her fault, that Mami is the one causing harm, and that she’s going to continue fighting for what she wants—something that, the novel suggests, will happen as Xiomara becomes increasingly comfortable with her voice.
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Heartbreak. Xiomara admits that she didn’t mean to hurt anyone and doesn’t understand how she hurt people, since it was just kissing. She ignores Aman at school and her family at home. Xiomara feels like an actress deserving of an Oscar and wonders if she’s worthy of forgiveness.
As before, remaining silent does make Xiomara feel safe and in a cocoon of sorts, but in the long run isolating herself is not how she’ll pull through this. She can only do that by communicating and learning to believe in her voice.
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Reminders. Xiomara does 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 makes a noise. Twin asks if Xiomara is okay, but Xiomara puts her face in a pillow and tells herself to breathe.
Allowing Xiomara to listen to his show shows Twin using his privilege in a positive way, which suggests that he might stand up for Xiomara and for himself at times—just possibly in ways that Xiomara doesn’t always see or think are meaningful.
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Writing. Xiomara spends every day in class writing in her poetry notebook. Ms. Galiano sends Xiomara to the counselor, who threatens to call home when Xiomara refuses to talk. Xiomara thinks that writing is the only way 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 thinking about being away from home.
Focusing all her energy into writing in her notebook is, given the way that the novel characterizes the written word, an early indicator that Xiomara is starting to heal and make sense of what happened. Even though she’s just writing for herself, she’s able to use it to keep from crying and, in her situation, that’s a big win.
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What I’d Like to Tell Aman When He Sends Another Apology Message: Xiomara wants to tell Aman that he doesn’t need to apologize. Xiomara is good at silence and for her, he was just a failed rebellion. She admits she’s lying: she wants to be with Aman, but she won’t win that fight. She didn’t want to get into any of these fights.
Xiomara’s sense of defeat speaks to the pressure she feels to conform to Mami’s desires and her inability to push back on Mami’s rules. Mami has, in other words, successfully made Xiomara feel entirely powerless.
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Wednesday, November 21. Favors. Twin pulls out Xiomara’s headphones and offers her a cut apple. Xiomara is surprised, but eats the entire thing to ease Twin’s fears. Twin asks Xiomara to write a poem about love or about being thankful for someone. Xiomara is ready to throw her apple seeds at Twin and she briefly thinks she’ll vomit. She shoves the plate at Twin and asks if he wants her to write a poem for his ”White Boy.” Twin looks shocked, but says that his boyfriend is named Cody and he wants Xiomara to write something beautiful for herself.
The fact that Xiomara refuses to use Cody’s name suggests that she has a long way to go when it comes to making people feel respected, especially since so much of her own pain comes from people mispronouncing her name. Twin’s suggestion, meanwhile, shows that he already has a firm grasp of how language can heal, although he finds here that he can’t force Xiomara to heal herself.
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Pulled Back. Xiomara helps Mami in the kitchen when the phone rings. Mami answers and hands the phone to Xiomara. Caridad shrieks that Xiomara can’t ignore her just because Mami took her phone. Xiomara tears up at how normal this feels. Caridad softly says that she’s worried. Xiomara nods, apologizes, and knows that Caridad understands that she’s thanking her.
Caridad understands that the best thing she can do for Xiomara is to make things feel normal and like nothing happened, even though she may agree with Mami that Xiomara went too far with Aman. Offering Xiomara this support positions her again as a supportive and open friend and reinforces the idea that having differing beliefs doesn’t have to cause strain in close relationships.
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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 sick and thinks that everyone can see that she’s just grateful for Mami’s silence. Everything makes her want to flip the table and crush peas into the ground. Later, Xiomara is ecstatic to get her phone back until she remembers that she doesn’t have anyone to talk to.
Though the phone symbolically suggests that Xiomara can get back to making connections with people, Mami has done a good job of making Xiomara feel entirely alone and unmoored in the world by depriving her of the ability to connect with people for so long.
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Rough Draft of Assignment 4—When was the last time you 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 heads and sashes from dresses around their waists like karate belts. They hopped on the furniture, avoiding the lava. Xiomara has no idea why they were ninjas in volcanoes. Mami got home and Xiomara leapt at her. She felt free while she flew, knowing that Mami would catch her. Xiomara doesn’t remember if Mami caught her, but she reasons that Mami probably did—she’d remember falling.
This memory is another one in which Xiomara presents her childhood as an easier and better time, which reminds the reader again that her issues with Mami began as Xiomara’s body began to grow and develop. Xiomara also recognizes here that she’d remember trauma more than she’d remember being treated kindly—and that Mami was kinder when her children were little.
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Rough Draft of Assignment 4—When was the last time you felt free? Xiomara thinks that she was last happy when she recited a poem for Aman. She remembers feeling nervous, but knowing that she could perform and that Aman would listen.
Important here is that Xiomara knew Aman would listen, a certainty she doesn’t have with others. Mami doesn’t listen to her and she doesn’t believe Twin will get it, which makes Xiomara feel more alone.
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Rough Draft of Assignment 4—When was the last time you felt free? Xiomara wonders if a stoop can be a place for freedom. She loves sitting on the stoop and watching people, with nothing else to do but enjoy the sunshine. Guys don’t bother her much there. She remembers sitting with Aman on a stoop and thinking that she felt free when she let herself lean toward him. She thinks that it’s freeing to be able to choose where to go and when, and in sitting still when everything tells her to move quickly.
The stoop that Xiomara paints in this poem represents choice and safety. It’s a place where she’s more or less protected and safe, but where she can still observe the world going by—and choose how much to interact with it. In this sense, the stoop represents a somewhat idealized version of adolescence, in which Xiomara has both safety and the ability to experiment.
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Final Draft of Assignment 4 (What I Actually Turn In). Xiomara says that freedom is complicated. She hasn’t experienced imprisonment like Nelson Mandela or like fighting dogs, but it seems like a big word. She thinks that it might be a skyscraper that she’s seen from the bottom, but has never climbed.
To a teacher, Xiomara’s assignment reads as nothing less than a cry for help and suggests that there’s a lot going on at home. This raises Ms. Galiano’s alarm bells and later, she helps Xiomara get the support she needs.
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Gone. Xiomara hates lunch now too. Boys try to squeeze in and look at her poetry notebook or other girls’ drawings. Sometimes teachers intervene. Ms. Galiano always does, but not all the teachers care about the quiet girls. Xiomara knows she can’t get in any more trouble, so she tries to ignore the boys and wishes she could disappear.
Here, Xiomara again can’t win: if she stands up for herself or other girls at her lunch table, she’ll get in even more trouble at school and then at home. Because of this, she’s forced to put up with this bullying and feels even more powerless.
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Monday, December 10. Zeros. Xiomara expects a zero on her last assignment, but Ms. Galiano leaves a note asking if things are okay and asking if Xiomara will stay after class to talk. Xiomara tries to figure out how to sneak out and folds the paper until it’s small enough to fit in her palm.
Ms. Galiano’s request for a chat allows her to show Xiomara that she genuinely cares, even if Xiomara isn’t thrilled about actually having to talk with her teacher.
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Possibilities. Ms. Galiano asks Xiomara to stand with her while she dismisses the other students. Once they’re alone, Ms. Galiano asks what’s going on. Xiomara’s family believes that what happens at home stays at home, so she shrugs. Ms. Galiano asks if Xiomara would come to poetry club, since her writing is so good. 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 plans to be at poetry club tomorrow and agrees to redo the assignment.
The belief that what happens at home stays at home means that Mami essentially ensures that neither of her children will ever ask for help in standing up to her, since the expectation is that they’ll never tell. In this way, Mami creates a home environment in which she can exert control over her children in any way she chooses without fear of having someone else step in—showing again that silence can be dangerous.
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Can’t Tell Me Nothing. Xiomara wonders when she last looked forward to something, since meeting Aman seems so long ago. She has a new lab partner now, but she catches Aman looking at her. Xiomara is still angry, but she wonders if she also messed up. She reasons that it’s not worth it to try to fix it, since they can’t be together. Xiomara reasons that it’s better they broke up since she can’t give him everything. She’s looking forward to poetry club.
This poem begins to indicate that Xiomara is moving forward from what happened and is starting to see a way forward for herself. Suspecting that she could’ve behaved differently with Aman speaks to some growth on her part, as it means that in the future, she may be able to make better, healthier choices with partners.
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Tuesday, December 11. Isabelle. A girl in a pink tutu and Jordans asks if Xiomara is the “big-bodied freshman” that the boys talk about. Xiomara almost laughs. She shrugs and says she’s a sophomore. The girl motions to a seat next to her, introduces herself as Isabelle, and says it’s cool that Xiomara is a poet.
Isabelle’s forward nature again speaks to the power of being straightforward and speaking one’s mind: she makes Xiomara laugh and puts her at ease by being direct. With this, Xiomara is made to feel more welcome.
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First Poetry Club Meeting. Xiomara thinks that it feels like moments are lining up to knock her down in a good way. She feels like she should be upset about Isabelle’s comment, but she likes how direct Isabelle is—everyone else talks behind Xiomara’s back. There are only three other people at the poetry club meeting: Stephan, Isabelle, and Chris, who did the poem for Xiomara’s class. Ms. Galiano asks everyone to read a poem as an introduction. Stephan’s poetry is filled with lush visuals, while Chris is loud and uses big words. Isabelle’s poem rhymes and Xiomara can tell she likes Nicki Minaj too. Xiomara wonders at the fact that writing can bring such different people together.
Xiomara’s sense of wonder at how different and respectful everyone at poetry club is shows again that language and a safe space to share it can do amazing things. Xiomara is able to learn more about her fellow students in a way that seems less contrived and more truthful than, for example, Ms. Galiano’s first-day icebreaker exercises (since Xiomara didn’t mention meeting anyone then).
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Nerves. Xiomara thinks this feels different than reading to Aman—she didn’t feel like she needed to impress him. She takes a deep breath and thinks that her poems were intended to be seen, not heard. Isabelle reassures Xiomara and Ms. Galiano nods. Xiomara grips her poetry notebook and reads.
Taking the step to read a poem to the group shows that Xiomara is now ready to truly find her voice and begin sharing it with the world. That the club is reassuring gives Xiomara a good experience and teaches her that it’s positive to share.
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When I’m Done. Isabelle snaps, Ms. Galiano smiles, and Chris comments on her narrative structure. Xiomara thinks that she doesn’t remember the last time people listened to her speak. It’s nice to know that she doesn’t need Aman to feel heard. She thinks that her words feel important, and she could get addicted to this.
With this, poetry club becomes the one place where Xiomara feels seen, heard, and appreciated for who she actually is, not who others would like her to be. This suggests that poetry and language allow people to be their true selves, especially when shared with others.
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Quotes
Compliments. Ms. Galiano compliments Xiomara on taking the leap to perform. Xiomara is used to compliments, but not ones about her thoughts. She smiles, but wipes it away. Xiomara feels like an adult heard her for the first time and feels happy. She wants to stay and talk, but she sees that she needs to hurry or Mami will know she skipped confirmation class.
Not wanting to look too happy about Ms. Galiano’s compliment indicates that Xiomara still feels like she needs to put on a show for people and not look too soft, something which will hopefully change as she attends more meetings.
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Caridad Is Standing Outside the Church; 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 Xiomara is seeing Aman again. Xiomara says she was at a poetry club meeting, so Caridad invites Xiomara to an open mic event on Friday. Xiomara insists that Mami won’t let her go, but Caridad believes Mami will as long as Caridad and Twin are there. Xiomara doubts it, but she feels herself fill with hope.
Even though there’s no indication of what poets Xiomara is reading, calling the poem “Hope is a Thing with Wings” is a reference to a poem by Emily Dickinson and suggests that Xiomara is truly becoming a part of the greater poetry community, both past and present. In this situation, language and poetry are able to make Xiomara feel uncharacteristically hopeful.
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Thursday, December 13. Here. Mami is still angry; Aman has stopped trying to apologize, and Twin seems to be getting progressively sadder. Xiomara is silent most places but in Ms. Galiano’s class, she raises her hand. She knows that speaking is okay in her class.
Ms. Galiano is able to show Xiomara that her words are important and valued by praising her when she does speak. This alludes to the positive effects of listening and of speaking, as Xiomara feels this way nowhere else.
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Quotes
Haikus. Xiomara writes that cafeterias aren’t safe anymore. She skips eating there and instead writes poetry in a bathroom stall. She explains what haikus are and that they often tie together contrasting ideas. Xiomara believes that she’s like a haiku with different sides, but she’s not tied together neatly.
At this point, Xiomara isn’t tied together neatly because she hasn’t yet completed her coming of age journey—but this moment foreshadows how, as she becomes more comfortable writing and performing, she will figure out how to put together all her different aspects.
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Offering. Xiomara packs up to leave the bathroom and the door swings open. Xiomara tries to escape, but Isabelle greets her and asks if she was really eating lunch in the bathroom. Xiomara ignores her and dumps her tray, thinking that they’re not friends. Isabelle puts a hand on Xiomara’s shoulder and says that she eats in the photography room, which is quiet and a good place to write. She invites Xiomara to join.
Xiomara is interested in accepting Isabelle’s offer because, though she doesn’t want to be friends, she met Isabelle in a place where they both had to be vulnerable and supportive. Should Xiomara choose to trust Isabelle, she’ll begin to learn that she can create situations like that outside of poetry club as well.
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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 and asks if Twin got in another fight or if Cody hit him. Twin says that Cody wouldn’t hit, but this is worse. Twin explains that he met Cody’s family last week. Xiomara offers an aside that she doesn’t understand families who accept their kids’ sexuality. Twin loved them, but he learned that Cody’s dad is getting a new job and the family is moving. Cody didn’t want to do long distance and broke up with Twin. Xiomara rocks Twin and sighs that they should know to be smarter with their hearts.
That Xiomara expects Cody to hurt Twin speaks again to Xiomara’s belief that romance is inevitably violent in some way, especially when men are involved. Twin’s willingness to confide in Xiomara allows the two to begin to repair their relationship, as it suggests that Twin trusts Xiomara enough to share with her what’s actually going on in his life. Going forward, then, Xiomara and Twin can work harder to support each other, knowing it’s possible to do so.
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Problems; Dominican Spanish Lesson. Twin shakes and struggles to calm down. Xiomara pats his back 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, which is an adjective that means fierce or ferocious. Mami is “mad brava” when she gets home, first because Xiomara didn’t call and then when she thinks Xiomara did something to Twin. Xiomara becomes brava when Twin doesn’t correct Mami. Mami threatens to send Xiomara to the Dominican Republic after winter break and then sends Xiomara to clean the bathroom.
Letting the reader in on Dominican words makes the novel richer and gives the reader more ways to connect with Xiomara and with her experience. In this way, Xiomara shows again how language can be a tool for interpersonal connection and cross-cultural understanding.
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Permission. Caridad calls later and asks Mami if Xiomara can come to the poetry event. Mami shoots dirty looks at Xiomara, but agrees that she can go as long as Twin goes too. Xiomara is afraid that Twin won’t want to go, but Twin agrees quickly. Xiomara thinks that he must want something to get his mind off of Cody.
In this situation, the open mic represents an evening of escape for both Xiomara and for Twin, showing that one doesn’t have to be a poet themselves to benefit from experiencing poetry.
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Friday, December 14. Open Mic Night. Caridad, Twin, and Xiomara have to take two trains and then walk to get to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. The line snakes around the block and is longer than those for nightclubs. A beautiful black woman hosts the event and Xiomara is surprised when the woman calls her name.
The long line points to the deep value that this particular space holds in the spoken word poetry scene, and more generally speaks to the power of the poetry—on this night at least, the people there are more interested in connecting over language than anything else.
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Signed Up. Caridad tells Xiomara that she signed her up to perform. Xiomara starts shaking and wants to leave, but Caridad and Twin drag her in. Xiomara compares herself to every poet who performs. Some of the poems are good and make people cry and laugh. Finally, the host calls Xiomara’s name and asks people to keep clapping until Xiomara takes the stage. Once onstage, the audience looks huge. Everyone waits for Xiomara to speak. She’s not sure she can do it and forgets her poem.
The way that the host handles Xiomara’s hesitation shows that she understands the kind of fear and pressure that Xiomara feels to perform, and she knows that the best way to help Xiomara is to make her feel supported by every audience member. Though Xiomara can’t fully appreciate this now, this shows her that she has a large community to support her if she wants it.
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The Mic Is Open. Xiomara remembers the first line, recites it shakily, and then begins again. She forgets everything but her poem and everyone listens attentively. When she’s done, they all clap. Xiomara wants to hide. Caridad and Twin praise Xiomara and Twin even looks happy. As they leave, the host grabs Xiomara and invites her to the youth slam in February. Xiomara knows that she wants to perform.
Everyone’s reaction makes it clear to Xiomara that she does have more than just her poetry club to support her if she wants to continue writing and performing. This makes Xiomara feel more powerful, as she’s beginning to understand that her words have power.
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Invitation. The youth slam that the host mentions is the same one that Ms. Galiano talked about at poetry club. Xiomara doesn’t really believe in signs, but this seems like a sign. At home, she tries to not appear as overwhelmed as she feels. Twin looks happy and continues to compliment Xiomara. Xiomara feels giggly and giddy. She thinks that lots of the poems she heard at the open mic seemed to talk about her and Twin’s own stories. They feel seen, and Xiomara thinks it’d be amazing to help someone else feel that way.
Now that Xiomara has made the connection that she’s not the only one who feels the way she does, she’s already able to look forward and see that others may benefit from hearing her poetry. In this way, she’s learning a healthier way to pass along information and ways of acting than what Mami teaches her.
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Quotes
Sunday, December 16. All the Way Hype. Xiomara thinks about the open mic all weekend and spends all her free time writing. She can’t wait to tell the poetry club about performing. Her poetry notebook seems to swell with all the new poems and Xiomara feels like as she writes, she heals. She thinks that poetry club feels like a prayer circle for her.
After her experience at the open mic, Xiomara is more fully able to recognize the power of poetry. Now that she’s aware of how it feels to share her thoughts with others, she recognizes that her poetry can help her as well as others.
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Monday, December 17. At Lunch on Monday. Xiomara goes to the art room and sits across from Isabelle. Isabelle pulls off her headphones and asks Xiomara for her opinion. As she recites her poem, Xiomara puts her apple down to focus. When Isabelle finishes, she doesn’t look at Xiomara. Xiomara thinks the poem is beautiful and good; she says that it gave her chills and that Isabelle should finish it. Isabelle smiles and Xiomara smiles back.
Xiomara demonstrates here that in addition to learning that she can perform, she’s also learning how to listen and respond in kind, meaningful ways—which offers hope for her improving her relationships with Aman and with her family, as what she’s learning here can apply elsewhere too.
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Tuesday, December 18. At Poetry Club. Xiomara shares with the poetry club that she went to an open mic. Everyone is amazed and wants to come along next time. Isabelle squeals and grabs Xiomara’s hand, which makes Xiomara feel heady. Ms. Galiano smiles. Chris asks how Xiomara did, and she says that she didn’t suck. Everyone knows this means that Xiomara did great.
Getting support from the poetry club helps Xiomara to begin feeling good about herself—and importantly, begins to shift her focus away from her unruly body to the words that she can control and that make her feel powerful.
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Every Day after English Class. Ms. Galiano starts asking Xiomara to read her a new poem after each class. Xiomara chooses her best and shortest pieces and learns to pace herself and show emotion. On the last day before break, Ms. Galiano says that Xiomara is blossoming and though it’s cliché, Xiomara feels like it’s true. Stephan reads Xiomara haikus in the hall and Chris greets her on the street. Xiomara’s poetry is a point of pride now. She loves how her words let her communicate and build community. She knows that saying before that she wouldn’t perform came from being afraid. Now, no one can stop her.
Even though Xiomara mentions fear specifically as holding her back, she was also held back by the shame she felt about her body and her confusing thoughts. Losing her fear also frees her from some of that shame, while the community she’s now a part of constantly reminds her of why her words—and her body that lets her share those words—are valuable and worth listening to.
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Monday, December 24. Christmas Eve. Mami buys three big poinsettias instead of a Christmas tree. Xiomara explains that Christmas Eve is one of her favorite holidays, since most Latinx families open gifts. Caridad comes over during the day and then at night, Xiomara, Mami, and Twin go to midnight Mass. Xiomara goes straight to her room when she gets home. She doesn’t expect any gifts and settles in with Chance the Rapper. Mami knocks and puts a small box on the desk. She awkwardly folds a sweater, sits, and stands back up. She explains that she had the gift resized, since she knows that Xiomara loves jewelry.
While Xiomara doesn’t explain whether she’s not expecting gifts because of what happened with Aman or because she’s just getting older, it’s still telling that Mami has made the effort to get Xiomara something. Mami’s gift then becomes an offering of sorts, as it suggests that Mami may be ready to start moving on from their argument and fostering a better relationship with her daughter.
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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 bracelet with a small plaque. The plaque has her name on one side and Mi Hija on the other. It’s her baby bracelet. She doesn’t understand why Mami resized it now, but puts it on anyway. She feels like she has Mami on one side and herself on the other side. Xiomara is mostly relieved it’s not a rosary.
Noting that the bracelet puts Xiomara one side and Mami on the other is another reminder that Mami doesn’t see Xiomara for who she truly is—she sees Xiomara only for where she meets expectations and then for where she fails to meet them. Despite this, Xiomara also recognizes that this is a peace offering and in this sense, the bracelet says what Mami can’t bring herself to say: that the two of them are connected despite their differences.
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Wednesday, December 26–Tuesday, January 1. Longest Week. The week after Christmas seems like the longest week of Xiomara’s life. She writes and reads poems to Twin, who texts Caridad about Cody. Xiomara finds that she starts memorizing her poems as she 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. Occasionally, Xiomara is still up when Mami wakes to go to work. Xiomara can’t wait to share her poems next week at poetry club.
The poems that Xiomara talks about writing are, presumably, many of the poems in the novel, which suggests that with some distance from these traumatizing events, Xiomara can edit them with more of a critical eye and a level head. Reciting poems to Twin shows too that they’re working on improving their relationship and being truthful, especially if Xiomara is reading him especially intimate poems like “Ants.”
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Wednesday, January 2. The Waiting Game. School starts on Wednesday, so Xiomara misses poetry club by a day. She’s disappointed, but takes the extra time to write. She shares poems with Isabelle at lunch and talks with Stephan and Chris in the hallways. Xiomara’s birthday is next week and she thinks that the new year isn’t going too horribly.
It’s certainly an amazing feeling for Xiomara to be reminded that she has new friends and a community at school, especially after a long winter break at home. Now, school is becoming a happier place, rather than just a place to be to get her out of the house.
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Tuesday, January 8. Birthdays. In the morning, Twin and Xiomara exchange gifts. Xiomara gets him an X-Men comic about Iceman, who’s gay. They hug and Xiomara assures Twin that she’s always on his side. Twin’s gift is another notebook. Xiomara jokes that Twin is running out of ideas, but Twin says that Xiomara isn’t running out of ideas and needs a new notebook. They walk to the train together.
Both Xiomara’s and Twin’s gifts show that they’re at a point where they truly understand each other and want to make the other feel heard and loved, especially since they’re the only ones who will be truly supportive in their family.
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The Good. Caridad leaves voicemails singing “Happy Birthday” on Xiomara’s phone. When Xiomara goes to her locker, she finds an envelope in her biology textbook holding two tickets to visit an apple farm. They’re clearly from Aman, and Xiomara laughs. At poetry club, Chris sings “Happy Birthday” and Isabelle gives Xiomara a cupcake. Xiomara feels like she’ll remember this birthday forever.
Now that Xiomara is part of a wider community, her birthday is better than normal—and her happiness even means that she’s willing to consider talking to Aman again, which suggests that as she becomes more confident, she may also be more willing to speak openly with him about where things went wrong.
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The Bad. Xiomara rummages through her bag for her poetry notebook, but she only finds the one Twin just gave her. Her old one is on the kitchen table. Xiomara is upset she doesn’t have a poem to share, but she recites one from memory and 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 out. She grabs her phone and listens to a voicemail from Mami. Mami says that she’s waiting for Xiomara at home.
The fact that Xiomara’s concern is simply that she doesn’t have a poem to share shows how on top of the world she feels right now. Mami’s voicemail, however, indicates that things are going to get bad quickly, since she presumably found Xiomara’s notebook.
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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 English to know that Xiomara is writing about boys, church, and her. Even though Mami is a small woman, she seems to grow and Xiomara shrinks away. Mami spits that Xiomara writes horrible things without guilt or shame and asks what kind of daughter she is. Xiomara thinks that Mami seems lost. Mami grabs the notebook and then a match. Xiomara feels her chest tightening as Mami lights the match.
Note that Mami suggests here that Xiomara should be guilty and ashamed of what she wrote, and that guilt and shame are just part of how Xiomara should feel in general. Xiomara’s experiences in poetry club, however, have taught her the opposite: shame holds her back and makes her feel small, while confidence makes her feel important and respected. Mami understands this on some level, hence her attempt to make Xiomara feel small.
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Let Me Explain. Xiomara tries to explain that the poems are just her personal thoughts. They’re private, and it helps to write them down. She’s 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 the match and tells Xiomara to get a trashcan.
That Xiomara even tries to explain herself shows that she’s learned the power of using her words to express herself, though it’s clear that Mami hasn’t had the same kind of education and won’t engage in a real dialogue about the notebook.
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If Your Hand Causes You to Sin; Verses. Mami puts the match to the leather cover and begins to pray. Xiomara leaps and grabs for her poetry notebook, but Mami turns and shoves Xiomara. Xiomara feels like she truly understands what it means to be desperate. They fight over the notebook, but Mami slaps Xiomara back again and the baby bracelet breaks and goes flying. Xiomara recites her poems from memory as Mami recites Scripture. Both of them get louder and louder. Xiomara’s poem is about her name and about being a warrior ready to defend herself.
When the baby bracelet breaks, Xiomara symbolically breaks free from Mami. Reciting her poems, especially the one about her name and being a warrior, is a way for Xiomara to assert her independence and her right to write poetry, no matter how Mami feels on the matter. At the same time, Mami feels more powerful as she recites Scripture, showing that even the Bible can, for some, provide the same kind of release as Xiomara’s poetry provides her.
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Burn; Where There Is Smoke. Mami stares at Xiomara like Xiomara is insane and keeps praying. Suddenly, they both gasp and cry. Xiomara feels like something is dying and shouts that her poems are in her chest. She asks Mami if Mami is going to burn her too. Twin races in and grabs for the poetry notebook, but Mami pushes him back. Papi gently coaxes the notebook out of Mami’s hands and knocks it against the wall to try to put out the fire. He yells at Twin to get the fire extinguisher. Xiomara fixates on the burning smell and thinks that her heart is burning too.
This is an important moment for Twin, as this is the first time that he even tries to stand up for Xiomara. This suggests that because he and Xiomara have begun communicating and being truthful with each other, he now understands better what kind of a relationship she wants and how important it is to her that he attempt to defend her in times like these.
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Things You Think About in the Split Second Your Notebook Is Burning; Other Things You Think About in the Split Second Your Notebook Is Burning. Xiomara wonders who would put her out if she were on fire. She wonders who would gather her ashes and, if she turned to dust, if anyone would try to collect the blowing dust. Xiomara vows to never write a poem again. She thinks that she’ll never allow anyone to see her heart so that they can destroy it.
Even as Xiomara vows to never write poetry again, these poems show that she’s still using poetry and language to make sense of this trauma—she’s not going to stop, in other words, even if it feels cathartic to say that she is. This also speaks to how alone Xiomara feels, as she clearly doesn’t think her own family will care for her after this incident.
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My 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 chase her. Xiomara stands, glad she’s still wearing her coat and backpack, and races for the door. Twin holds Mami back. Xiomara breathes deeply once she’s outside, but she realizes that she has nothing and nowhere to go. Twin texts Xiomara immediately, but Xiomara ignores him. She texts Aman and asks if he can meet her.
Again, when Twin holds Mami back from chasing Xiomara, he’s showing Xiomara how much he cares about and respects her—he’s willing to put himself in Mami’s line of fire to help her get to safety. Texting Aman, meanwhile, suggests that Xiomara recognizes that now is not the time to be prideful. Now is the time to be honest and ask for help.
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On the Walk to the Train. Xiomara calls Caridad. Caridad starts singing “Happy Birthday,” but she stops when she hears Xiomara crying. Xiomara knows that Caridad is aware that something is seriously wrong. She asks Caridad to check on Twin and says that she needs to leave. Caridad reminds Xiomara that she’s always here for her and assures her that she’ll figure it out.  
Caridad’s kindness and assurances help Xiomara feel as though this supportive friendship will remain, even if everything else is changing and disappearing in front of her eyes. Caridad, then, helps Xiomara understand that they can still be friends, even as Xiomara behaves in a way that Caridad never would.
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The Ride. The train proceeds with stops and starts, but it doesn’t bother Xiomara. She gets off and it starts to snow. Xiomara turns her face to the sky and imagines that the snow is healing, like in the movies. She isn’t aware that Aman has arrived until she smells his cologne and thinks of the memories they made. Aman takes Xiomara’s hand and squeezes it, but Xiomara looks at the sky.
When Aman shows up for Xiomara, it confirms for Xiomara that she has a community of people—Aman, Twin, Caridad, and poetry club—to care for her when she needs help. Importantly, she built this community by sharing her words with them.
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No Turning Back. Aman tries to ask Xiomara questions, but she doesn’t hear them. She only feels his fingers. They walk until Xiomara realizes that Aman is shivering—he isn’t wearing a coat or socks. Xiomara whispers that they should get out of the weather and confirms that he lives nearby. Aman raises his eyebrows.
At this point, Xiomara doesn’t have anything to lose since Mami is already so angry with her. Going to Aman’s house is likely the least of her worries, which also speaks to the fact that Xiomara is also beginning to abandon some of her shame in general.
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Taking Care. Xiomara thinks all the way up the stairs. Aman’s father works nights, so Aman spends his time listening to music and doing homework. She almost laughs thinking about how she avoided his house when they were together, but is here now that she’s a mess. Aman’s house is soft and cushioned. Xiomara leans against the wall and closes her eyes. Aman puts on soft soca music, which is soothing. Xiomara opens her eyes when she feels Aman taking off her boots. She tells him about her poetry notebook and her chest hurts. Aman pulls her close.
The way that Aman touches and cares for Xiomara shows that it’s not always necessary to communicate verbally to make someone feel loved and cared for. Because Aman is so kind and gentle, he’s able to make Xiomara feel safe in a way that she likely hasn’t felt for a long time.
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In Aman’s Arms. In Aman’s arms, Xiomara feels warm and safe. They apologize and start kissing. Xiomara takes off her shirt and though she’s shy at first, she feels beautiful. They both undress and Aman touches Xiomara’s breasts. Xiomara stops breathing, but she feels good.
Now that Xiomara feels more secure in herself, she’s able to enjoy her experience with Aman and not allow shame to cloud her experience and ruin it for her. This shows her that relationships don’t have to be awful in some way—they can be fulfilling and comfortable.
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And I Also Know. Xiomara knows they need to stop. Aman is on top of her on the couch and everything feels good, but she can feel his erection. His hand brushes Xiomara’s thigh, and she understands why people cliff dive to feel free. She stops his hand, pulls away, and says they have to stop.
When Xiomara asks Aman to stop, it shows that even if she goes on to say that she’s afraid of the consequences, she is certain enough of herself to feel comfortable asking, rather than letting him keep going unchecked.
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The Next Move. Xiomara sits up, holds her bra against her chest, and waits for Aman to call her names. He touches her back, but only fastens her bra and hands Xiomara her shirt. They dress silently and Xiomara waits for Aman to hand her her boots and turn her away—she knows that if she’s not going to sleep with him, he’ll dump her. Instead, Aman hands Xiomara his own t-shirt. She’s confused, but Aman takes it back and uses it to wipe away Xiomara’s tears.
Again, Xiomara has to reckon with the new knowledge that refusing sex doesn’t mean that she’s going to be scorned and kicked out—that’s only what she’s learned from Mami and what she’s seen on the street, and it’s not universally true and is in no way healthy. Instead, she now starts to see that she has the power to build the relationship she wants.
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Tangled. Xiomara thinks of the long three-strand necklaces she wears sometimes. They’re beautiful, but it’s impossible to put them away—they always get tangled. Xiomara feels like one of those necklaces after asking Aman to stop. She feels guilty, like she wants more, but she also wants to cry. Her panic dissipates and Xiomara thinks she needs a minute to slow down and think.
Realizing that she needs to gather her thoughts in this situation mirrors the way that Xiomara steadied herself before her open mic performance. The similarities imply that she’ll have a similarly transformative experience here as she did there.
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There Are Words. Xiomara knows that she and Aman need to talk, but they watch highlights of the Winter Olympics and fry eggs and plantains. Xiomara feels like time stopped and listens to Aman’s breathing. She thinks of all the firsts she experienced today, and all the firsts she chose not to experience. This is a more comfortable train of thought, as Xiomara knows that she’s made other choices today that she won’t be able to take back.
It’s telling that it’s more comfortable for Xiomara to think about what she did sexually than anything else, given that only a few months ago, Xiomara was so conflicted about any kind of physical contact with boys. This makes it clear that she’s no longer ashamed of her body or what she does with it. Now, her most important challenge is to reconcile with Mami.
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Wednesday, January 9. Facing It. As soon as Xiomara walks into Ms. Galiano’s class, Ms. Galiano calls her into the hallway. Xiomara is wearing the same outfit from yesterday—Aman’s shirts were too small—and Ms. Galiano seems to know. Ms. Galiano says that she called Xiomara’s house yesterday because she was concerned. Papi sounded frantic and didn’t know where Xiomara was. She asks if Xiomara has called home and what’s going on. Xiomara doesn’t know what to say. She looks at Ms. Galiano and thinks that she’s not much older, is pretty, has a Spanish last name, loves poetry, and called Xiomara’s house because she was worried. Xiomara tells her everything. She says that she hates Mami. Ms. Galiano holds Xiomara and soothes her.
Just as Xiomara did when she spoke with Father Sean, she begins to see here that Ms. Galiano is a real person and is a role model for her. That Xiomara can make such a transition to crying and telling the whole truth just because Ms. Galiano called home speaks to just how alone Xiomara feels in life right now. It also suggests that Xiomara is beginning to move past the idea that everything that happens at home needs to stay there, especially since she learns here that she can get help and comfort if she speaks up.
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“You Don’t Have to Do Anything You Don’t Want to Do”; What I Say to Ms. Galiano After She Passes Me a Kleenex. Xiomara takes a breath and thinks that nobody has ever told her before that she’s free to make her own choices. Maybe in 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 want her to be good. God wants Xiomara to earn her life. Xiomara thinks that nobody has told her that she can make things stop with her words. Ms. Galiano says that Xiomara does need to speak to Mami and figure out their relationship. Xiomara agrees.
Hearing that she can control where her life goes next is so transformative for Xiomara exactly because nobody else, save for Aman, has ever indicated that Xiomara has any say in her life. Hearing this from Ms. Galiano situates Ms. Galiano again as an important mentor in Xiomara’s life, as she reminds Xiomara that she’s in control while also emphasizing the reality that certain things, like talking to Mami, must happen.
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Going Home. Xiomara feels like going home is the hardest thing. She’s not sure 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 hands. Ms. Galiano gives Xiomara her cell number in case she needs to talk. Xiomara walks outside at the end of the day with Aman and finds Caridad and Twin waiting for her. She knows that she’s not alone, and she knows who might be able to help her.
The way that Isabelle, Aman, Caridad, Twin, and Ms. Galiano all rally around Xiomara make it clear to Xiomara that there are people in her life who are more than willing to help her—while deciding to ask someone else for help shows that Xiomara is now more comfortable seeking support, not just accepting it when others offer.
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Aman, Twin, and Caridad; Divine Intervention. Xiomara introduces Aman to Twin and Caridad and they walk to the train. She wants to ask Twin what happened last night, but she’s not sure she wants to know and she knows it wasn’t good. Caridad squeezes Xiomara’s hand, Aman kisses her forehead, and Twin smiles softly. He begins to cry and then he and Xiomara hold each other. Xiomara makes a stop before she goes home. She understands that help can come in mysterious ways, and she knows she needs as much help as she can get.
Bringing everyone together for the first time is no doubt an odd experience for Xiomara, but it reflects her belief that she’s done feeling so alone and keeping the different aspects of her life so separate. Allowing everyone to be together suggests that going forward, Xiomara will hopefully not have to spend so much time pretending and will instead be able to feel whole and valued for all she is.
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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 opens the door. Her eyes are red and she looks small. Twin squeezes Xiomara’s shoulder and Xiomara tells Mami that they need to talk. She lets Father Sean into the kitchen and he reaches for Mami. Xiomara watches Mami begin to sob and thinks that she’s been both a mother and a monster. Xiomara goes to her.
Asking for help from Father Sean shows that Father Sean’s attempts to connect with Xiomara and respect her autonomy worked. Because he has such a good relationship with Mami, he’s a perfect person to help facilitate this conversation and teach both Mami and Xiomara that they can truly communicate, not just speak over each other.
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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 nails. They may never learn to apologize, but they can hold each other tight. They can remember that love is like a band that can tear, but it can also hold in so much. Mami doesn’t say that she’s sorry or that she loves Xiomara. Xiomara hopes to hear that someday, but thinks that Mami’s soft touch is enough.
Now, Xiomara can apply what she learned with Aman and with Twin to her relationship with Mami. She can now understand that this hug may not be exactly what she wants to hear from Mami, but it can nonetheless communicate things that Mami doesn’t have the communication skills to say outright.
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Thursday, January 24. Stronger. In bio, Xiomara 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. Mami starts teaching communion classes and seems happier than ever. She’s excited and happy with the little kids, and Xiomara remembers how it used to be like that when she was little. In their third session with Father Sean, Mami gives Xiomara back her repaired baby bracelet. Sometimes, Twin and Papi come too. Twin is quiet, but Xiomara hopes he’ll be able to speak up someday. Xiomara is surprised that Papi loves to talk and is a good listener. One afternoon, Father Sean says that Twin mentioned Xiomara’s upcoming poetry slam. He asks if they can all come.
Returning Xiomara’s baby bracelet to her, repaired, is symbolic of Mami and Xiomara’s healing relationship. Even though Xiomara may still see it as representative of the two different parts of her, the fact that it can be repaired offers hope that Xiomara can, someday, achieve a relationship with Mami where Mami’s daughter and Xiomara herself are one and the same. Xiomara’s understanding that Twin is keeping secrets during their counseling sessions also shows that she respects Twin and understands that she can’t force him to speak—he’ll need to tell people when he’s ready and feels safe.
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Slam Prep. Ms. Galiano convinces Xiomara to commit to the poetry slam. Xiomara practices in her mirror and at poetry club. She’s still upset about losing poems, but she’s proud of remembering so many and tells herself that if she rewrites them, it means they mattered. Xiomara knows she needs one strong poem and loves that people will listen, but she hates the idea of being judged. She’s concerned because her poems seem too personal to perform in front of strangers. Ms. Galiano tells Xiomara that words give people permission to be their true selves, and points out that poems like this are the ones that Xiomara needed to hear.
Now that Xiomara is feeling better and is happier and healthier at home, Ms. Galiano is able to make the point that Xiomara has a story to share that will no doubt be compelling and meaningful for others—and that, as a poet, it’s Xiomara’s responsibility to keep putting herself out there so that others can realize they’re not alone. With this, the novel returns to its core theme of language’s power puts Xiomara at a new point in the cycle of communication and empowerment: helping and mentoring others.
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Ms. Galiano Explains the Five Rules of Slam; Xiomara’s Secret Rules of Slam; The Poetry Club’s Real Rules of Slam. Ms. Galiano’s rules are that poems must be original and under three minutes, and that there are no props, instruments, or other people onstage. Xiomara’s rules are that she can’t faint, forget her poem, mess up, give a disclaimer, or fail to finish. The club’s rules are that performers must perform with heart, remember why they wrote the poem, be emotional, share, and not suck.
The different rules provide both structure and levity for the members of the poetry club, which helps ease fears and helps them feel more secure in what’s going to happen. Xiomara’s rules for herself suggest that she’s taking this seriously and wants to make sure to work on her performance and improve so that she can connect better with others—showing just how far she’s come since her initial reluctance to share her words.
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Friday, February 1. Poetic Justice. A week before the slam, 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 her words, but the room still feels too small. When she finishes Twin smiles, Papi claps, and Mami tells Xiomara to speak up next time.
It is worth noting that Mami’s turnaround is somewhat idealistic, as it’s unlikely that an abusive parent like Mami would transition from burning journals to encouraging their child in less than a month. However, Mami’s reaction is still something to strive for, as it shows Mami being a supportive parent to the daughter she has rather trying to turn Xiomara into someone different.
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Friday, February 8. The Afternoon of the Slam. Aman and Xiomara go to the park. He holds her hand and they listen to Nicki Minaj. Xiomara gets up to leave when the album is over, but Aman pulls Xiomara into his lap despite her protestations. He opens up the Notes app on his phone and reads her a poem. It’s short and bad, but Xiomara cries anyway. It’s the first poem that anyone ever wrote for her. Aman says that he believes that Xiomara can defend herself and everyone else, but he’ll always support her and protect her heart.
Having a poem written for her for the first time shows Xiomara clearly that Aman is truly there to support her. It’s not the words themselves that matter, since the poem isn’t very good, but the thought behind it makes Xiomara feel loved and appreciated in a way that few others have ever made her feel. With this support, she’s even more ready for the slam later.
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At the New York Citywide Slam. With Ms. Galiano’s assistance, Xiomara recites a truthful poem. Twin’s help with practice means that it’s polished, and her new poetry notebook makes her feel like she deserves to be there. Aman’s support makes her not see the standing ovation, and thinking of English class means that she doesn’t see Caridad and 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 notice Father Sean, she doesn’t hear Papi telling people that Xiomara is his daughter. She looks at Mami, nods, and recites her poem. She knows her words are powerful.
The nod to Mami at the end of this poem suggests that Xiomara and Mami have truly begun to move past their differences and now, Mami is a source of support and confidence for Xiomara. Again, this is somewhat idealistic, but it still presents a version of familial support and unity that the novel suggests is worth striving for regardless. The amount of support that Xiomara has in the audience speaks to the power of her words—these people have all moved to support her since the novel started, in large part because she found her voice and learned to connect with them.
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Celebrate With Me. After the slam, Mami and Papi invite everyone to their house for pizza and rice and beans. Mami and Papi let Aman sit on the couch, but they won’t call him Xiomara’s boyfriend. Isabelle plays bachata and asks Caridad to dance. Xiomara watches Twin pretend he’s not watching Stephan as Aman takes over as DJ. Ms. Galiano and Father Sean argue about boxing and then Papi holds out his hands to Xiomara to dance. He explains that he should’ve taught Xiomara to dance long ago, and that dancing is a way to tell people she loves them. Mami smiles at Xiomara and says that they won’t take any more backwards steps. Xiomara smiles and steps forward.
Papi’s newfound willingness to speak honestly and happily to Xiomara, as well as his willingness to dance at all, suggests that though Papi has been a pretty quiet character, this has been a major transformative experience for him as well. It’s possible that just as Xiomara is beginning to put together opposing sides of herself, Papi—and for that matter, Mami—may be able to do the same, allowing everyone to come to a happier and more supportive place.
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Assignment 5—First and Final Draft. Xiomara gives the Psalm “The unfolding of your words gives light; / it gives understanding to the simple” as her favorite quote. She writes that though she was raised with religion, she didn’t always feel loved. The Bible is entirely a metaphor, so Xiomara suggests that God doesn’t just exist in churches—everyone is like God. She believes that talking with others is talking about God and, therefore, is like church. This quote is also about poetry and 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 of her words.
Using a Psalm shows that now, Xiomara has come to terms—at least to a degree—with how to be a part of her church. She now understands that she truly can ask questions and interpret the Bible in a way that makes sense to her and in a way that makes her feel as though she can be a part of the church community, just as she can be a part of the poetry community. Importantly, she doesn’t have to be the same as Mami to be a valid member of the community—what’s important is that she’s there and supportive, and Mami is in return. What’s more, the fact that Xiomara only writes one draft of this assignment shows how she no longer feels the need to separate her true feelings from the words she presents to the world; these different versions of herself have finally become one and the same.
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