How to Write

By Debbie Jacobs


A poem describing her time in Guatemala
Como escribir, como escribir

The things that I have seen

Wendy’s sitting in the dump

but her smile is serene

José Manuel is holding fast

to my little sister’s arms

She wants nothing more

than to keep him safe from harm

And Joseph wants me to look

at his notebook, he’s so proud

to show this gringa stranger

what he can do when he’s allowed

The boy with the long name

that starts with “A”

sits cross-legged on the hospital bed

He can’t walk and has no chair

Mom carries him instead

Oliver works harder than all of us

with the wheelbarrow that’s mostly broke

His smile is the sweetest I’ve ever seen

I wish I could take him home

Como escribir, como escribir

The things that I have heard

“En serio?” “Lo siento!”

And the preaching of God’s Word

“Christo es me superhero”

“Cuchara, tenedor”

“The Kingdom of God is like a seed”

“This is a spiritual war”

Como escribir, como escribir

The food that I did taste

Beans, tortillas, rice, and spaghetti

Leave none of it to waste

Choco bananas and piñas

Sarita’s, Sorbys, and Chiky’s too

Como escribir, como escribir

All the things I smelled

Team body odor in the panel van

Sometimes it’s best to breathe through your mouth

The dump, of course, is something

that I simply can’t describe

Take your stinky garbage can

Multiply by a thousand and five

Como escribir, como escribir,

About the sense of touch

Because, out of all of them,

this one matters so much.

The laying on of hands

as we pray Korean-style

The sweet goodness in your arms

As you hold a tiny child

Abrazos y besos and grubby high-fives

from friends, family, and strangers too

Are more a blessing to me

than they could possiby be to you

You held my hands, you touched my heart

Siempre, when I’m there

The Lord our God reminds me

That every tear is a prayer.