With a lot of luck

In a world full of hostility, altercations, and transgressions

I am one of the ones con mucha suerte.

Con mucha suerte my parents faced a sense of betrayal to their home land

Where the maiz and trigo flourish through our ancestral lands

Con mucha suerte my parents fled to the land of oportunidad

Where everything is still, large tracts of land, separated from family

Con mucha suerte my parents’ dreams were crushed 

He was a high school graduate, attempted college, took courses counselor suggested, wanted more, but the system said no.. “because you do not know English you will not pass” 

He read on his own time, studied hard, knew more than anyone else, but with su strong acento le dijeron que no. He lost hope in being a lawyer.

She finished secondary school. Wanted to learn, love colors, and create activities for kids. Family was away so she stayed with her married sister. Was taken advantage of, refrained from being educated, clean the house, “we can teach you English you don’t need school,” was never taught. She lost hope in being a teacher.

Con mucha suerte my parents both got jobs paying below minimum wage

El Tigre, Cocos, McDonalds, A babysitter, Avocado Picker

Con mucha suerte my parents met en la iglesia

Where God awakens and guides the fallen

Con mucha suerte two lost souls found each other and married

Till death do them apart, through good and bad

Con mucha suerte my parents estaban bendecidos with a daughter

Ruth, gifted child, determined, unafraid

Con Mucha suerte my parents found better jobs

Minimum wage pero sobreviviendo

Con Mucha suerte they had me

I, the one con mucha suerte

Con mucha suerte we lived in an apartment

Two reckless children running around, Ruth the boss and I the follower, the one con mucha suerte

Con mucha surte another blessing appeared

Flor, charming, captivating, fragile

Con mucha suerte we moved to a destroyed home

My dad cleaned the place, added new buildings, made it our place

Con mucha suerte a little varón became part of our family

Angel, travieso, curious, kind

Con mucha suerte we grew up in a dry ranch

Huerta de aguacates, animales gratis-serpiente, coyotes, y ratones

Con mucha suerte my siblings and i got to go to school

Air conditioned, helpful teachers, free food

Con mucha suerte my siblings and I learned English quickly

Read, write, and speak fluently

Con mucha suerte my siblings and I passed grade to grade

Elementary, middle school, high school, and college

Straight A students, never a 90% or below because that's failing

Sleeping until 12 am bc we needed to get things done

Con mucha suerte we were first generation students

Ruth, RN pursuing her Masters

Me, con mucha suerte

Flor, pursuing her teaching credential

Angel pursuing to be a diesel mechanic

Con mucha suerte we live under a roof and have food to survive

Nuestro ranchito, la carne asada, un taco-ni

With a lot of luck I am here

Sarah Elizabeth Ortiz

one of the ones con mucha suerte