My Barrio

Poetry by Melissa Feuerstein

I walk with aims through my barrio, a small universe of blocks and faces, where love is supposed to be true and no is not failure, just what happens. I fix my tresses in the dark of a storefront window and laugh at myself. We rerun the same streets after the war on the news, after the need to win at something.

A woman passes, counting her dollars as if they could explain what they mean. Everything here is new to me. I meet people, notice women, and wonder who might notice me back. I am merchanting not goods, just myself, hope carried openly, offered without a stall. I stay long enough to see what it costs.

BIO: Melissa Feuerstein is a writer and visual artist based in Tucson, Arizona. Her work has appeared in Maudlin House, Oddball Magazine, and Nelle (formerly PMS: poemmemoirstory). Her visual-literary project can be found on Instagram at @headsetting, and on Facebook at @headsetting.