Efren Castro - Let Me Love You
when i look into your eyes
i see
a journey
of rediscovering life
and what else it has to offer
i’ve learned
the world works
in calculated motions,
a rhythmic production,
connecting the speed of the wind
to the dance of the leaves and trees
nature sings at an octave different than what i’ve known
one better fit to the tone of the Earth
the way God and the universe intended
your eyes
mouth
and lips
are where this reality exists
stop worrying about
whether or not
you’re enough
for my love
it’s all self sabotage
from childhood things
and old flings
it’s my turn now
please
just let me love you
for a little while longer
let me
worry about
what’s best
for me
Edited by Jamie Chen (@bjorqcute)

EFREN CASTRO (they/them) is a queer Latinx poet, editor, and workshop presenter originally from Lennox, CA. They are a recent English graduate from UC Riverside who writes, designs, and publishes their own zines. Their work has been featured with the Inlandia Institute, VoyageLA, 3Moons Magazine, ASPB at UCR, and their poetry zine "Heartbreak Stories" was published by Mi Casita Press in March 2020. Their art zine "Days in my Life" is available now with Curious Publishing and their latest release "Love for Me" is available on their website!. Keep up to date with their work on Instagram and TikTok @namehere360!