Child of the Americas I am a child of the Americas, a light-skinned mestiza of the Caribbean, a child…
The poet's ancestors are immigrants. The speaker identifies herself as both a daughter and a granddaughter of immigrants, placing migration within her family history.
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Child of the Americas
I am a child of the Americas,
a light-skinned mestiza of the Caribbean,
a child of many diaspora, born into this continent at a crossroads.
I am a U.S. Puerto Rican Jew,
a product of the ghettos of New York I have never known.
An immigrant and the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants.
I speak English with passion: it’s the tongue of my consciousness,
a flashing knife blade of crystal, my tool, my craft.
I am Caribbeña, island grown. Spanish is in my flesh,
ripples from my tongue, lodges in my hips:
the language of garlic and mangoes,
the singing in my poetry, the flying gestures of my hands.
I am of Latinoamerica, rooted in the history of my continent:
I speak from that body.
I am not african. Africa is in me, but I cannot return.
I am not taína. Taíno is in me, but there is no way back.
I am not european. Europe lives in me, but
I have no home there.
I am new. History made me. My first language was spanglish.
I was born at the crossroads
and I am whole.
The poet’s ancestors are
Answer and explanation
Correct answer B
The poet's ancestors are immigrants. The speaker identifies herself as both a daughter and a granddaughter of immigrants, placing migration within her family history.
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Telangana SET (TG SET)