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21st-Century Poetry Feliz Año Nuevo

We built the tall effigy with old rags,
dressed her in mother’s plaid skirt,
covered her bare arms, broomsticks,  
with a torn blouse and shoulder pads.
The shoes we’d found in the dump,
got abuela’s scarf, a leather handbag.
Her quiffed hair of cut-out mags,
we stuffed her with fireworks, junk.
She held a big placard: Chau, 1982!
Bye! The Iron Lady copycat
on our Buenos Aires' street. We brats
danced in a big circle, the ring grew
     as in a trance, it was past midnight,
     while she, the effigy, was set alight.

Leo Boix

Leo Boix is a British Latinx poet born in Argentina and based in Britain. He has recently published his first collection, Ballad of a Happy Immigrant. 21st-century Poetry is edited by Andy Croft, email [email protected].

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