Four generations

By Angelina Sáenz
There is a framed photograph of my grandmother
She is a young woman, sitting on a horse, vestida de china 
I have another photo of my grandfather
at five years old, dressed as a charro

My Mexican father did not introduce me to this sport 
my white mother did
He was a horse jockey 
She was an escaramuza
Horses have always been in our family

Today, my husband and I 
both perform in charrerías

We are teaching our son and daughter 
Our son has started to compete
My daughter is still too young 
Charrería is our gift to them

I love when I see grandpa dressed up as a charro 
and then I see my parents dressed up and riding 
and you see the grandkids participating
and I ask myself

Is there another sport 
where four generations 
ride together?

Notes:

This poem is part of the portfolio “Escaramuza, the Poetics of Home.” You can read the rest of the portfolio in the April 2025 issue. 

Source: Poetry (April 2025)
  • Article

    poetry-magazine

    Introduction: Escaramuza, the Poetics of Home

    By Constance Jaeggi

    This folio pairs my photographic portraits of US-based escaramuzas with commissioned poetry by the Mexican American poets ire’ne lara silva and Angelina Sáenz.