I’ve spent a lot of time eating my own tongue these past few days. Probably has a lot to do with why “food” is on my mind in an obsessive sort of way. What does a mujer eat so that she doesn’t have to eat her tongue? What does she eat so that she uses that supernatural strength against what is keeping her silent rather than herself?
Tongues are everywhere in Chicana writing–we all know how much we need them, how smooth and slippery and delicious they are–but that we are trained to chew them, slice them, violate them into submission….to protect the integrity of “community” over the cool soft wetness of our tongues….
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May 8th, 2009 at 10:24 am #
Me, my mom, and my sisters all can do weird shit like that with our tongues. I thought everyone could, but found out that it’s a hereditary thing, and that some can and many more can’t.
May 8th, 2009 at 6:54 pm #
it wasn’t til poetry of woc that i realized the full power of the tongue.
May 8th, 2009 at 9:46 pm #
thanks bfp
sometimes I am afraid the medicine keeps me from saying exactly what’s on my mind… but with or without it, it’s floating in my brain and I can never seem to evacuate it enough. I feel like my fingers are my new tongue, but my tongue is still too big for my mouth…
May 11th, 2009 at 11:49 pm #
yes, yes, YES! i *heart* this.