Vanessa Garcia

Standing over the trash
peeling oranges with my bare, clean hands
I have never felt more beautiful
I have never seen such hands.
I’ve never felt so divine.

I go to hand them out,
my mother first,
then my sisters,
and my father.
They each take the two pieces I hand them,
no words of gratitude are exchanged
this is the part I like most.

Giving them my love doesn’t require a thank you
just a simple brush of the hand
is enough.

My hands
covered in orange strings
and the sweet sweet nectar
is it nectar?
I’m not sure
but it feels right.

My hands.
So delicate
carefully peeling away for my family
I’ll do it! I’ll get my clean hands sticky
to share with you the sweet delicacy
my sweet love, for you.

–

Vanessa Garcia is a 20-year-old living in Sacramento, California. Her favorite fruits are oranges.