Everything I Know

In this album, there's a picture

Of the ladies at Daniela's

You can tell it's from the 80s by the volume of their hair

There's Usnavi, just a baby

'87, Halloween

If it happened on this block

Abuela was there

Every afternoon I came

She'd make sure I did my homework

She could barely write her name

But even so

She would stare at the paper and tell me,

"Bueno,

Let's review.

Why don't you tell me everything you know?"

In this album there's a picture

Of Abuela in Havana

She is holding a rag doll

Unsmililng, black and white

I wonder what she's thinking

Does she know that she'll be leaving

For the city on a cold dark night?

And on the day they ran

Did she dream of endless summer?

Did her mother have a plan?

Or did they just go?

Did somebody sit her down and say,

"Claudia, get ready,

To leave behind everything you know."

Everything I know

What do I know?

In this folder there's a picture

Of my high school graduation

With a program, mint condition

And a star beside my name

Here's a picture of my parents

As I left for California

She saved everything we gave her

Every little scrap of paper

And our lives are in these boxes

While the woman who held us is gone

But we go on, we grow

So

Hold tight, Abuela, if you're up there

I'll make you proud of everything I know

Thank you, for everything I know