Conflict Communication

“Hola! Como estas?”

I began to drop my jaw to the ground,

yet it was not even lunch.

It seems foreign to hear someone

Speak the same language as me in class.

My buddies dropped their pencils

Because she spoke our language.

A few seats ahead,

Three girls heard and scream.

“You can understand us?” I asked.

“Si, entiendo todo.” She smiled.

My mind was struck!

It was not a bad thing

That she understood us.

Honestly, it was beautiful.

My teacher doesn’t understand the language,

but this lady strikes us all.

We all dread with fear,

At each other and her.

What was she going to say next?

It wasn’t everyday that you hear an adult,

Other than your parents,

To have the same tongue as you.

We all felt some discomfort

Because in the classroom,

we all use English to speak

and our side talks in Spanish.

Instead, she smiled at us.

“Keep on speaking Spanish

So you don’t forget.”

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Conflict Communication is published and featured in the Febuary 2020 issue of The Acentos Review.