El Burro

This is not a fairy tale in which a princess 

Is going to be kissed awake by a prince

 Just roaming around 

This is the story of war, 

Of reality, 

Of everyday 

For many who like a fairytale,

 Travel to a foreign land 

Those people, 

Climb that mountain, 

Fight that dragon,

And manage to carry the princess on the way out

Those people ride on the back of the strangest beast 

And manage to bring 

Freedom to a kingdom. 

At the end of their rainbow, 

There lies a huge pot of gold 

So why does all the magic end with them?

Why don't we get a 

Chance at the midnight pumpkin?

Or a fairy god mother 

Who bails us out?

A wild and steel chariot 

We don't have a seat reserved on 

A first class cloud of sunshine 

That blows effortlessly 

In your everyday perfect hair 

We’re like little red riding hood 

Except you think 

We’re the big bad wolf 

Here to gobble you up

I guess you think we play goldie locks 

As we enter the space you had claimed as “yours” 

Except the only one 

Who values anglosaxons as much as you 

Was a certain nazi 

Well, WE don't get a magic carpet 

Or a lamp that grants three wishes 

In fact, 

I think we happen to be the genie 

Making wishes come true for literally 

Everybody else 

We have to do everything for real 

That magic does not exist for us 

We have to go on the adventure

Leaving behind 

All we know 

In search for a 

Bigger horizon 

But when we get there,

We have to hope 

Others won’t be too bothered

By the smell of 

Struggle,

By the stench of 

Fear,

And the essence of 

Desperation 

When most of our life 

We spent fighting with titans 

And although 

They may not be made of steel 

Man made weapons always tend to be the most dangerous 

A pen

 Can be the order for life and death 

A book

 A thread between knowledge and unseen stories 

If we had a Fairytale book, 

It would sound something like this:

Once upon a time 

In a dangerous forest, 

There lived a mule 

One that was overworked, 

That left for greener pasture 

And when it got to the bridge there was troll 

Blocking its path 

It asked three questions:

“Whats your reason for visiting?”

“How long are you staying for?”

”Any illegal substances?”

Like a jury you wait there 

For us to receive your judgment 

And re-write the story to make the mule

 a wolf in sheep's clothing 

Maybe, the llorona was actually crying 

Because she knew her children 

Would be persecuted 

And diminished 

For the simple fact 

They didn't want to live in struggle 

And everyday,

I’m told to work harder and 

Come the “right way”

So why wasn't Ariel 

Asked for her papers 

At the edge of the ocean?

Or why didn’t prince charming 

Get his identity checked

Just because we may not be 

From the same kingdom 

Does not mean that 

Your gold is worth more than mine 

So let me tell you again

 We are not here to wish upon stars 

That do not serve us 

Or toss our coins into magic wells 

That seem to forget our numbers 

The second we leave the park 

We will write our own book 

And it will be one of rebellion 

And warriors 

And hardships 

Navigating a dangerous journey

And it will recount the story of

How We Survived

Watch Saneli's Performance alongside Carla Chavez and Julie Piña here: