Awake...Part I and Part II Summary

I want to start posting portions of the 2nd half of my novel in progress, so here is a synopsis for Part 1 and Part II

Awake by Minnie Vasquez

Part I:  Alejandra de Luna has a disturbing home situation.  Her father serves as a church leader, but in Alejandra's eyes he is a hypocrite prone to drunken rages against her mother.  She is the typical Latina teenager who does not have any understanding of her cultural background even though she lives a few miles away from the Mexico border.  Her relationship with her mother is strained as she wants protection from her mother but instead has to help her mother endure the abuse.  She would love to fall in love but feels it is impossible since her father does not allow her any room to breathe.  She misses her brother who left years earlier as an escape.  Her only solace is art.  Her new solace is dreaming...dreams of an ancient forgotten culture. 

Part II:  Alejandra's dreams intensify and come more rapidly and readily.  She doesn't fully understand the dreams but does know they play out as a story and her identity is connected to them.  She has been following the story of how an Aztec lord refuses a prophesy from his own daughter who came back from the dead.  His daughter warns him of the conquest of his people, but he dismisses her.  His daughter also provides opportunity for a young Aztec servant to escape a society of abuse and enter a new world...the world of 21st century America.  The world of Alejandra.  Their spirits merge in Alejandra's body.

Excerpt from Part I...I believe this is the second poem.

*Note...it is a verse novel...obviously ; )



August 14, The Same Thing At Home




Lilac petals line the chain-link fence, crying tears

for my mother, and I wake up to silence and morning

shadows. My father already gone on a Sunday, our day

of rest and pancakes, spongy, warm, butter swirled with syrup.



But the silence is loud. My window percolates in clouds

while coffee mugs lay dormant, unused, unmoistened by

lips in need of warmth.



Only unwashed dishes to clean and rinse, left undone

by my mother. My mother undone by my father

during dinner the night before.

Me in my room.

Hungry.



When did it all change?

Maybe it’s always been the same.

But I was the Princess.

My brother the Prince

who left when I turned thirteen

before it got out of hand

in front of me.

All he left was a note

addressed to me.



Take care. Leave when you can. Mom won’t. Will write when I can. Joined marines.



Four years later. No note since then. Antonio, why did you forget about me?



I wish I was a normal girl with a hot boyfriend.

He’d make me forget.

He’d make me feel special.

Cappuccino and waffles. That’s who we’d be.

Warm lips to kiss.
 
 
 
Always,  Minnie