The poem consists of a list of different Mexican foods.

When you are in love, you put on a bit of weight. If, on the other hand, you get thin, people compliment you and want to know how you did it. Olivarez calls that the Broke Heart Diet.

The poem is structured like an interview, in which Olivarez is asked the same question, “Where is your home?,” seven times. He mentions various places, including Mexico, the Bronx, New York, and Chicago.