I am the albino squirrel that follows you everywhere.
The one moondancing on the neck of your guitar.
Spitting chewed acorns on your windshield.
Chasing away the cardinals in your backyard.

I am your past. I am your ancestors.
I am your mother’s ups and downs, your father’s low E.Q.
I am your slaved great-great-grandmother.
I am the diabetes of amputated legs.

I am your Catholic guilt.
The bile of your Christmases.
The gremlin reproducing in your head.
The nightmare that brings you to tears.

I am the greed that corrupts your tribe.
The mud on your walk in the woods.
The open safety pin in your drawer.
I am your favorite doll, drowned in the pool.

I am the smoke stain on your teeth.
The hair stuck on your throat.
Your lower back pain.
I am your canker sore.

I am the albino squirrel that will never leave you alone.
I have been there from the start.
No matter how you try, you can’t get rid of me.
I am your constant reminder to stay alert.

Andrea Nunes is originally from Brazil but feels most at home in New York. She has been writing poetry without any formal instruction since she was a child. In addition to writing, she is passionate about yoga, volunteering, and traveling.