Descanso

The day you were gone,

tu descanso

had a different

silence.

Powerful taunts

and mental breakdowns

only occurred in broad daylight,

even when

smiles

were plastered on his face.

Daily exhaustion

became a routine

and sometimes,

at nights,

your presence lingers.

Even with pauses

and quivering lips,

he refused to cry.

Yes, Papi 

washed away

all of his sorrows

remembering you,

Abuelita,

once being alive

at night.