El sagrado corazón
by Celeste Guzman Mendoza
The Sacred Heart of Jesus was tattooed on Roberto Tijerina’s sunburned chest. Droplets of blood trickled from Jesus’ heart to Roberto’s belly button, which filled with lint and dust, especially when he did his contract construction work in his front yard. Roberto’s tattoo artist painted Jesus’ robes Damask #234, his hair Golden Brown #26 and his eyes Ocean #57. Jesus’ lips spread into a smile when Roberto inhaled, shortened at each exhalation. When sweat formed on Roberto’s chest, Jesus’ face, neck, robes, and flaming heart became dewy; sheen over Jesus and the Sagrado Corazon burned like that eternal candle in the church down the street. The fire never went out on Roberto’s chest. And when Roberto stood still, stared straight at you without blinking because you were staring at him without blinking, Jesus was calm, an even stare from between Roberto’s brown nipples.
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- | Celeste Guzman Mendoza
Celeste Guzman Mendoza is a native of San Antonio, Texas. Her work has been published in 5 a.m., Borderlands, Salamander, Poet Lore, and in anthologies such as Telling Tongues: A Latino Anthology on Language Experience (Calaca Press), Red Boots and Attitude (Eakin Press), and Floricanto Si!:An Anthology of Latina Poetry (Penguin). She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two cats.