Estaba durmiendo o soñando con los ojos abiertos?

You show up to my birthday party

in Honduras,

en el bosque.

Eres un Ninja Turtle,

I am Dora la Exploradora.

My guests are mainly children,

a few adults here and there.

We race the kids to the piñata—

you beat me there.

Te dejé ganar.

One of the kids blindfolds you

and reminds:

No lo golpees demasiado fuerte,

eres muy grande.

You laugh, le dices: Vale.

Bam!

The piñata rips open,

a rainbow of candy descends

from above.

We all run to grab what we can,

leaving with grass stains on our knees,

hands overflowing with confite.

This is the best birthday

ever.

I cry, and laugh, and cry some more.

I am 47 years old,

en mi país,

con mis amiguitos,

en familia.

There’s cake—

a very big cake.

There’s ice cream—

a lot of ice cream.

Feliz cumpleaños, I whisper to myself.