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Forgetting Spanish
A. Gautam
I’ve held the words on the tip of my tongue
and let them fall off, vanish into thin air.
I’d thought I’d pick them back up one day,
but now the words seem to be nowhere.
5 My grandmother said I once spoke
just the way she does, but in my baby voice.
Years have passed, I have lost my words
I can deny it, but I know I had a choice.
Once, I wanted to be cool like my friends
10 and gave up on my father’s words.
Today, I want to pick them up again.
It feels like reaching for flying birds.
Like magic, my mother always understood
what was eating me inside,
15 like an x-ray, she saw my aches
and I could no longer hide.
She said, “It’s never too late to learn again
what you already once knew.
Search within you, and seek help,
20 what you need most is You.”
This poem explores the theme of forgetting Spanish, the author's native language. The speaker reflects on how they used to speak Spanish as a child but gradually lost their fluency over time. They regret their decision to give up on their father's words in order to fit in with their friends and now long to reclaim their connection to their native language.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of their mother's understanding and support. They describe how she always knew what was bothering them and could see through their attempts to hide their pain. She encourages the speaker to not give up and assures them that it's never too late to relearn what they once knew.
Overall, the poem highlights the longing to recover lost language skills and the encouragement to embrace one's identity and heritage. It suggests that it's never too late to reconnect with one's cultural roots and reminds the reader of the value of their own unique history and experiences.