my voice holds many tongues
but mostly the taste of iron
as english cuts my mouth
crashes into my molars
in jagged syllables
when i come home
i liberate my lips with spanish lullabies
that glide along my cheeks
and in between my legs
i am a bridge between two worlds
no — i am
the universe
“spanglish”
TIFFANY MARTÍNEZ 
Reblogged this on JMar.
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Love it! Be encouraged. Follow me on instagram if you can @mrhartfelt would love to connect with you
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Querida Tiffany, solo quien vive entre dos culturas y debe saber conjugar las posibilidades de ambas lenguas, puede apreciar la preciosa profundidad de lo que has escrito. Me declaro como tu fan hispano. Suerte, hay un mundo y un futuro esperando por tí.
Dear Tiffany, Only those who live between two cultures and should know how to combine the possibilities of both languages, can appreciate the beautiful depth of what you’ve written. I declare as your Hispanic fan. Lucky for you, there is a world and a future waiting for you for.
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DONT go to this university!!!!!!
Warning
I’m surprised the professor is still able to hold an important job with so much prestige….
After learning about the article, no action has been carried?
What kind of dean or university is this? The management is not worthy of taking the right action….
Don’t go This University!!!!!!!
It’s full of bias, old folks.
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So you don’t agree with Race, Language, Gender bias? But you call people “old”…is it wrong to be old?
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Tiffany, I’m an olde white guy, who, over many years has enjoyed listening to Joan Baez and Tish Hinojosa. Spanish is a beautiful language and I looked at your post because Spanglish is the best I can do, really, though some former colleagues were impressed with the way I could communicate when thrown into a meeting where some of the people only spoke (for the most part) Spanish.
I came to your blog about the plagiarism charge on your paper–phooey. Did he put it into TurnItIn.com? Can he cite where you took something from?
Take heart and as a sign said in another former colleagues office, “Don’t let the bastards wear you down.” It was in pseudo Latin, but I only remember the translation–this was 40+ years ago.
Usted es muy intelligente y bonita tambien. Su inglés is mas mejor que mi español.
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Beautiful POEM!! From a fellow Dominicana from the Bronx. Keep shining and succeeding.
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Your story is being heavily discussed within the McNair Scholars community. It resonates with many. It is also trending, everywhere. Many closer to their doctorate is now trying to understand and prepare themselves for the discrimination and prejudice as a faculty of color.
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I like the close of your piece, nicely done. To the last comment, language is fluid and without a master – only users that have a particular end – and even then, its temporal. Nahuatl is a language that colonized others…the cycle is repetitive…the paradox – language is contingent on the user and an end-game.
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You may enjoy the anthology “This Bridge Called My Back” “Borderlands/La Frontera” by Gloria Anzaldua, assuming you haven’t already read them. Your poem reminds me of these books.
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Beautiful
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I don’t get this. Spanish is no less a colonist language.
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How is that relevant to a non-conquistador for whom it is the language of family?
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that is a Valid point. Talk to the people in Lima and ask how “honored” their Quechua is? I agree Spanish is just as Colonial as English. Also, I don’t know how you can take your stance as “open” yet demean English as “harsh”….I speak Spanish as a second language. It can be difficult too. But I don’t blame the language. I spent years learning Spanish as an Old White Dude! Does that me bad? I don’t get what you are getting at? You say that you hate racism and yet you demean English in your poetry. It is your right….but don’t be mad when people do the same to Spanish…you should honor both Languages….they are both Colonial…but also great languages to speak.. I don’t understand the hypocrisy. USA schools do A LOT to translate and honor Spanish speaker. Teachers at my school have a tough time getting a job if they don’t speak Spanish. Is that fair?
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