Upon a Star, I am​

Issue 12

A glistening invitation from space
Ask for your biggest desire
And I will provide it
 
I will fall upon earth
Sparkling, shining, and eroding
So that you can wish
 
Upon a star, I am
            struggling, scorching, supplicating
            for a day when i might stand on grass
 
            i will probably disappear
            no mountain to catch me
            not a crater left behind
 
            i start to wonder if i will make it
            before i finally give away
            the last of my stardust.
 
Please look at me and wish!
For all your cravings
They keep me flying
 
I wake from your dreams
And my trajectory is set!
As I hurl my soul
 
Across the night sky, I
            dull, diminish, then die
            ​trying to reach my destination
 
            earth can’t be worth this
            ​grass can’t possibly cure burns
But it might muzzle the flames.

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Xochitl Zazueta is a trans Latina from south Texas. Her transition from a Mexican bordertown to university has completely challenged her perception of the world. Her art across different media reflects the juxtaposition of immigrant hopes and fears in the U.S., a yearning for humanization, and the strength she finds in a rich cultural history.

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