Iveliz Explains It All

These pages contain the poems “Que llueva, que llueva, la bruja esta en la cueva,” “Pastillas,” “Monday Morning Is Quiet,” “Gandules, II,” “Mimi’s Hand Are Smart, Journal,” and “Amir Forgiven.”

Saturday is rainy, and Iveliz wants to eat Maizena and laugh, but the storm reminds Mimi of another hurricane—Hurricane Georges—in Puerto Rico, which Mimi experienced as a teen. Mimi is upset, and Mami must calm her. Iveliz makes toast and thinks of rooves ripping in hurricanes.

Mimi lectures Iveliz about drugs. Iveliz explains that they’re medicine for her PTSD and depression. Mimi remains dismissive. She claims the pills are for “crazy” people, and Iveliz isn’t “crazy.”

The gandules arrive, and Iveliz, Mami, and Mimi go to Home Depot and buy a big bag of potting soil. Iveliz has to carry the bag, and it makes her favorite hoodie dirty. She angrily throws the bag on the floor, but she remembers Dr. Turnip’s advice about counting to 10. Calmer, Iveliz picks up the bag, and Mimi embraces her. While planting the seeds, Iveliz and Mimi discuss ghosts and guardian angels. Mimi believes in the latter because she’s Catholic.

During lunch, Iveliz leans against a tree and meets a girl,