The American Dream

The dreams of a mother are not the same as the dreams of a daughter

The love was cultivated in the midst of a country whose tree stems wrapped around her as a protector

The taste of thin burned tortillas from the intense fire where she cooked in

The sound of the birds singing before the dawn of day

The smell of freshwaters flowing through the valley of the river

Her fingertips kissed year-round by the sun as she showered under the blue sky

The life of the love the mother experienced

The mother dreamed of one day being able to wear a new pair of shoes instead of hand-me downs

She dreamed of one day being able to afford the mid length, yellow silk dress with the shoulder pads, and golden buttons modeled in the plaza's boutique for her graduation

Graduation was a ceremony that only lasted until the 5th grade, at least for those who weren't fortunate to pay past primary school

Mother dreamed of summer nights with the lights on in the house past 8P.M.

The dream of having a couple of cents more to buy the extra pound of meat in the supermarket

Today her daughter does not dream or love the same

The daughter was loved in a country where flowing rivers did not exist

The daughter was not raised with the taste of burned tortillas unless she burned them herself

The city lights were her protector as they illuminated the gray concrete sidewalks she walked on past 8pm on summer nights

The love cultivated by having her mother at home 5 minutes longer before watching her walk out to her second job

Love filled her heart by obtaining the soft beige dress she was eyeing for her graduation without a mother's no

Because mama worked hard to buy her that dress

The love was found within the daily reminders that she could read and write in 2 languages and it is why she would always progress - por que si se puede-

The reminders on how she was fortunate compared to the rest of her family members back in the mother's land is what ignited daughter to dream differently

The daughter now dreams of being rooted to the same branches that once protected her mother

Dreaming into catching a full ride to a big university to become the most highly educated lady within her family

Dreams of being able to purchase mama a home so she can retire comfortably

Anxiously dreaming of her 21st birthday not to get wasted on the weekend with her friends but to be able to submit the petition to legalize her mother

The daughter dreams of being able to share the same experiences that cultivated love within her mother whenever she pleases with her kids but this time in a much more privileged way

The daughter dreams of reaching other little girls like her mother as a reminder that the pain endured is all worth it at the end

She dreams of making generational wealth and leave ancestral curses in the past

Dreaming of things that feel impossible yet she knows are obtainable

Grandmother would be proud

Dreams that her grandmother never had

Dreams her mother could not rationalize with because they seemed too good for her pocket change

Dreams that are now closer to daughter because she analyzed the way it has been done throughout history

Because with a love that is cultivated through strength and carried by winds that travel miles

Anything is possible

Mother and daughter do not dream the same

But mother and daughter know how to make dreams a reality no matter the country

© @Therego_Nohemi