Transplanted Roots
Roots are resilience.
In East Harlem gardens grip to the ground in confined spaces.
Among old tenement buildings and new luxury
condos, Puerto Ricans plant remnants of the tropics.
In the summer they gather in the gardens to celebrate
birthdays and anniversaries. Men roast a pig on a spit and
play dominoes. Women cook rice and peas, fry plantains, and
wear a flower on their heads. They all dance to the rhythms
of the drums, Salsa and romantic Boleros, rooting themselves
in urban soil, like transplanted plants.
Roots are resilience.
In the winter the gardens lose its luxurious colors. If you
pass by, pay attention.
If you do, you will see a red rose blooming in the snow.
It’s a plastic flower planted by the Puerto Ricans who refuse
to uproot themselves from the tropics.