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Poet of the Month

Every month Moon Tide Press features a different poet to celebrate and bring readership to deserving, diverse voices.  
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If you are interested in being featured as a Poet of the Month, or want to nominate a poet, please contact editor@moontidepress.com
Peter Lechuga
April 2025
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Peter Lechuga is a Chicano wordsmith, teaching artist, musician, PlantBasedgod, and Karaoke King born and raised in Southern California. As director of the non-profit, LionLike Creative Education, he teaches future generations the power of poetry, while creating a safe space for them to express themselves, find their own voice, and become published authors. He is the co-founder and editor of the new literary zine, ILL Poetry Anthology. His poetry has been shared on college campuses and has been published in No Pulp Poetry Club's Community Milk, Chaffey Review, and Inlandia Institute, amongst other publications. His debut poetry collection, Myth Opportunities, published by Daxson Publishing, is available now. When not reading, writing, or killing the mic, he can be found hiking in the mountains spitting freestyles.

XOCHIMIQUIZTLI 

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In ritual war, boys held their clubs tight

and high into the wide sky. Jagged black

teeth, buried in wood, were licked clean by light

after they chewed flesh off other boys’ backs.

 

Weapons hungered like roaring bellies, flames

of sacred forest blessed breath. Young bodies

dragged slowly, they watched rivals do the same;

brothers floating through fields of red poppies,

 

remembered in chipped glass and bright, ruby

hummingbird throats. Captives sang of flowers;

words became petals dancing with duty.

Fate be fed; warriors never cower.

 

Taste the blood and carve the heat of the sun

from their chests; the obsidian and jade

eat for gods. We still sacrifice our sons

daily. A lie told, a decision made.

 

Mí abuelo his legs, my dad his knees.

Mí padrino, no flowery death among the trees.

 

 

CHICANO DIONYSUS 

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I used to be a Dionysus.

When I was younger,

I’d watch all mi tíos drink, lose

control of their bodies.

Limp limbs swinging

like the lives of the parties

they were.

 

I wanted to be them.

 

Oldies booming,

watch how they

transform.

Arms grooving

with a beer

glass or

machismo oozing

all on the

dance floor.

 

I used to be a Dionysus.

When I got older,

I’d watch all mi tíos drink, lose

control of their bodies.

Limp limbs dangling,

a colostomy bag to potty.

Last drink

in an IV drip.

 

I still remember them

 

tripping

off-beat to La Chona.

Sipping

endless bottles of Coronas.

They’d leave glass mountain plots

in their wake. 

Years later we’d take fountains of shots

by their graves.

 

I used to be a Dionysus.

Now,

I watch mí amigos drink, lose

control of their cars.

Limp limbs lying lifeless in the dark.

 

I will never forget them

 

being eighty-six’d

from every bar.

Killing twelve packs

then shredding on guitar.

You were so excited

about your new pedal.

 

If only I could fight it,

keep you away from that pedal.

I used to be a Dionysus

but here on out,

I simply refuse

to watch waning moons blur

into beating suns.

I’ve found it’s truly not worth

losing yourself or the ones you love.

 

Maenads mitote so vividly.

Broken bottles bleed out fragility.

I used to be a Dionysus;

however,

I abdicate my divinity.

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