How Some of Us Survived Cuando El Mundo Did Not Want Us
In the shadows of city lights, we dwelled,
untold stories, almas olvidadas,
enduring streets where dreams were bought and sold.
Corazones—like broken glass,
reflecting pain, the sting of scorn,
searching for love en la oscuridad.
Walking the piers—our runway, steps unsure,
inocencia perdida seeking solace, grace,
amidst the chaos, makeshift homes.
Voices silenced, cries ignored,
por un mundo that turned a blind eye,
yet we found familia in our souls.
Remember these legends,
children marked by endless strife,
love soaring entre el odio.
In this lucha, there was truth,
in this love, there was vida,
in this survival, there was hope.
Copyright © 2024 by Emanuel Xavier. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on December 5, 2024, by the Academy of American Poets.
“‘How We Survived Cuando El Mundo Did Not Want Us’ reflects the resilience of a generation born into struggle, marginalized for their identities, yet determined to carve spaces of love and belonging. This poem is an ode to my own queer, Latinx community—those who came before me and those who survive alongside me. I wrote it as a lyrical reflection, blending English and Spanish to capture the complex duality of our existence. The form is a mix of prose and poetry, meant to mirror the fragmented but resilient lives of those who carry generational scars while refusing to be silenced.”
—Emanuel Xavier
Emanuel Xavier
Emanuel Xavier is the author of seven books of poetry: Love(ly) Child (Rebel Satori Press, 2023); Selected Poems of Emanuel Xavier (Rebel Satori Press, 2021); Radiance (Rebel Satori Press, 2016); Nefarious (Rebel Satori Press, 2013); Americano (Rebel Satori Press, 2012); Pier Queen (Rebel Satori Press, 2012); and If Jesus Were Gay (Rebel Satori Press, 2020), as well as the novel Christ Like (Rebel Satori Press, 2019).