Voicemail Poems

When I came into this world they said Welcome to the holy land The world is in your palm Just as you fit into your mother's Gave me a name which slid off tongues In a way too harsh for the American voice and Too soft for the Dominican palate I grew up longing for the day where My name never sounded like an apology Uncommonly Christian When I introduced myself to my theology course last year My professor gave me a look and said "Ah, that must be why you're here" My given name can translate to "sacrifice" and Coming out as trans has definitely felt that way as I Give away favorite clothes because dysphoria no longer allows them as I Endure the bite of a hypodermic needle every other week as I Still push down the discomfort of being a "daughter", "sister", "aunt" when I am just a person and I can feel the knife being twisted While my veins run cold The world stops as I Smile while they hug me and  Greet the ghost of who I used to be  They unmask me to my friends They sacrifice me and Making a home out of th