This poem highlights how the paths we take, or “caminos,” are similar even if we come from different places. It reflects my journey from Coachella in the desert to Berkeley in the Bay Area. My black Converse shoes, which are now starting to tear, symbolize this journey. They represent the steps I’ve taken toward a better future and the shared struggles we all face along the way.
La tierra, el suelo, el concreto firme,
(the earth, the soil, the concrete)
sobre el cual todos dan sus pasos
(on in which we all take steps)
All echo with the same heartbeat,
From the desert life to city streets,
That dims my eyes in the nights
The sands of Coachella embraced the soles
Of my black Converse, which carried dreams through
Sunny days and quiet nights
They now are tearing and breaking
For a new beginning
The sun, the warmth in my skin, the place I once knew,
Were all left behind …
For Berkeley’s cold breeze and mist
My Converse led me to a city of wonders,
where life feels like a scene
From dust to fog, from sand to sea,
From a place I used to embrace, to a new chapter
We walked together with my Converse
In the city of wonder
Leaving behind my old pair I step into this new Converse, we walk together to a new camino.