sez fatherman

w. language chips to dip 
in how this feels 
tomatoes—diced—sour cream— 
w. cuacamolee—& milestones so 
for an extreme summer like this—
sez fatherman let’s face it—
the dollar just isn’t what
it used to be—sez fatherman 
that’s why fine folks like you
& me we got to be careful 
to get the most value for our money— 
for an extreme summer like this—
sez fatherman why w. five dollars 
I can feed my whole damn family— 
for five goddamned dollars—& 59 cents— 
sez fatherman call it flavortown & next
stop after this one to tacos to bean burritos 
to tostadas—yes sir sez fatherman—
O give me a taco & I’ll make that to talk 
to tacos—O what’s that—sez fatherman
why that’s a burrito supreme—sour cream
fresh confetti lettuce & tomatoes—diced—
yes supreme—sez fatherman 
w. language chips to dip
for an extreme summer like this—
what’s that pinto beans cheese on the top
on second thought fatherman sez 
first all the other countries attack attack 
for an extreme summer like this—
attack attack attack attack attack attack 

Steven Alvarez is the author of The Codex Mojaodicus, winner of the 2016 Fence Modern Poets Prize. He has also authored the novels in verse The Pocho Codex (2011) and The Xicano Genome (2013), both published by Editorial Paroxismo, and the chapbooks, Tonalamatl, El Segundo’s Dream Notes (2017, Letter [r] Press), Un/documented, Kentucky (2016, winner of the Rusty Toque Chapbook Prize), and Six Poems from the Codex Mojaodicus (2014, winner of the Seven Kitchens Press Rane Arroyo Poetry Prize). His work has appeared in the Best Experimental Writing (BAX), Berkeley Poetry Review, Fence, Huizache, The Offing, and Waxwing. Follow Steven on Instagram @stevenpaulalvarez and Twitter @chastitellez.