Detour for the Sotomayor Kids

DETOUR FOR THE SOTOMAYOR KIDS

It runs in families, como una maldicion

*

The stories of Greek gods and heroes sustained me

that summer and beyond

*

In a room all closed up in glass

 a man stood breaking necks

one after another

and a machine plucked the feathers

*

Junior and I sat on the floor

surrounded by piles of books

like explorers at the base of Everest

 *

The feeling of the poem

came through

clearly

in the music of Abuelita’s voice

and in the look of faraway longing

in the faces of her listeners

 *

…in Abuelita’s

joyful generosity

her passion for life and poetry

her power to heal

*

Such strong women are no rarity in our culture

— found poetry, from MY BELOVED WORLD by Sonia Sotomayor, United States Supreme Court Justice

My favorite October read is about the only Supreme Court Justice who mixed supremely well with both the Fendi women of Italy and, the fiambrera women of Puerto Rico who packed lunchpails, fiambreras, for their families. What made the difference in the lives of Junior, and his big sister, Sonia? They were from the Bronx, once nicknamed Fort Apache, the sidewalks, playgrounds and school yards were so much a war zone during their childhoods.

Attend Dr. Barbara Heusel’s  outstanding book talk. Read the justice’s unflinching autobiography as an outsider at Princeton and Yale and a rookie prosecutor in New York City. Share with  younger readers  her story by Jonah Winter, with artwork from Edel Rodriguez,