TE19 Iberian Adventure

Yolanda Castaño

THE WORD GALICIA

In order to tell you where I’m from I’ll have to stick out my tongue.

Where did you hear that fire licks the leaves, licks the rind, licks the roots & licks a little of everything without opening its lips?

There are people so civilized

theynevershowtheirtongue.

From the tumult of a town ready to bite you bark hrvatski, hrvatski! spluttering all over me.

There’s tongue positions

I’ll never get.

Just risk it and stick it all the way out between your teeth, that’s why I say maza and cercear and zarzallo .

I know there’s some who would hold their tongue.

Like not pronouncing correctly the shibboleth to go with the suit, like a stink of fish. 104