Amanda K. Mata-Mei

BIO

Amanda K. Mata-Mei is a Chicana poet raised in the traditions of backyard Catholicism and the borderland zeitgeist of her hometown of El Paso, TX. Trained as a writer and filmmaker, she graduated from Dartmouth College in 2012. Amanda resides in Queens, NY, and works in non-profit fundraising.

A note from rats and other vermin

We, the grounded, flightless, wingless birds of no one's yore,
we the twisted, craggy, deformed bastards
whose only crimes lie in existence–
yes, we! All of we, stand here today
            undressed, unloved,
            unworthy, and damned,
and you must watch as we defecate and fornicate
upon the synthetic society you call home.
Curse, condemn, and criticize us, oh our Creators!
Complaints are obsolete!
We are your toxic waste.
We are the pollution
            of you Capitalists,
            of you Communists,
            of you Fascists.
Breathe us in deep.
Swim in your excess and garbage.
Upturn your nose at our stench
as we dance and sing,
pressing up against
each other's bruised and bloodied bodies
making rough, unbridled love.
See if we care.

© The Acentos Review 2018