For Estefani poem by Aracelis Girmay

I’m Aracelis Girmay,

and this is, “For Estefani, Third
Grade, Who Made Me a Card.”

Elephant on an orange line,
underneath a yellow circle, meaning sun.

Six green, vertical lines, with color
all from the top, meaning flowers.

The first time I peel back the
five squares of Scotch tape,

unfold the crooked-crease
fold of art class paper.

I am in my living room.
It is June.

Inside of the card,
there is one long word, and then

Estefani’s name:

Loisfoeribari Estefani

Loisfoeribari?

Loisfoeribari:

The scientific,
Latinate way of saying hibiscus.

Loisforeribari: A direction, as in:
are you going

North? South? East?
West? Loisfoeribari?

I try, over and over, to read
the word out loud.

Loisfoeribari.

LoISFOeribari.

LoiSFOEribari.

LoisFOERibARI.

What is this word?
I imagine using it in sentences like,

“Man, I have to go back to the house,
I forgot my Loisfoeribari.”

or “There’s nothing
better than rain, hot rain,

open windows with music,
and a tall glass of Loisfoeribari.”

or “How are we getting to Pittsburgh?
Should we drive or take the Loisfoeribari?”

I have lived four minutes with this word
not knowing what it means.

It is the end of the year.
I consider writing my student,

Estefani, a letter that goes:

To The BRILLIANT Estefani!

Hola, querida, I hope that you are well.

I’ve just opened the card that you made
me, and it is beautiful.

I really love the way you
filled the sky with birds.

I believe that you are chula,
chulita, and super fly!

Yes, the card is beautiful.

I only have one question for you.

What does the word ‘Loisfoeribari’ mean?

I try the word again.
Loisfoeribari.

Loisfoeribari.
Loisfoeribari.

I try the word in Spanish.

Loisfoeribari

Lo-ees-fo-eh-dee-bah-dee

and then, slowly,

Lo is fo e ri bari

Lo is fo eribari

love is for everybody
love is for every every body love

love love everybody love
everybody love love

is love everybody
everybody is love

love love for love
for everybody

for love is everybody
love is for every

love is for every body
love love love for body

love body body is love
love is body every body is love

is every love
for every love is love

for love everybody love love
love love for everybody

Love is for everybody.