“The expression that rubbed Luz raw was the one her mother used more often than all of her Ave Marías and all of her Ay Benditos—and she said those a lot. The one proverb that always made Luz feel ill at ease—and she was not too sure why—was: Con la boca cerradita te ves más bonita: you look prettier with your mouth shut.”
Enjoy this audio recording of “Calladita Te Ves Más Bonita/You Look Prettier with Your Mouth Shut” by Amelia Díaz Ettinger from Vol. 32:3 of CALYX Journal! Buy the full issue here.
Amelia Díaz Ettinger is a Latinex BIPOC poet and writer. Her published books include Learning to Love a Western Sky by Airlie Press, Speaking at a Time/Hablando a la Vez by Redbat Press, and a chapbook, Fossils in a Red Flag, by Finishing Line Press. She resides in Eastern Oregon. ameliadiazettinger.pubsitepro.com.