"FACINGFACES 2002 - 04" SELECTED POETRY

SRA. KAHLO

Frida, donde estas mujer. . .
Where are you?
You died for our sins,
promising us the resurrection,
a rebirth
our self-worth intact.

We had only to bury you,
release you
and that monkey
on your back.

You jangled and giggled
a beautiful, moist jewel. . .
twenty silver bangles
singing
from each wrist.

Your blinding white camellias
sitting like a crown,
your hybiscus red-orange lips
calling us forth to watch
you sweep your men,
your pain
into a pile
there - in the center
of your world.

And you laughed, Frida
knowing to do so
would hurt.
You gathered your breath, Frida
knowing to do so
would hurt.
You exhaled loudly
a breath of raw perfume

A fire that stained
a hundred canvas flags
and sent your name
flying
across the ages. . .
a mad Mexican dove
who seeks
only to soothe women
who hurt.

Women who hurt.


EL GRITO

El Paso de Juárez
Impossible to believe the desert
will forever hold oozing secrets
for armies of whirling evil,
for those whose lies
flow like annihilating lava.

El Paso de Juárez
Impossible to believe
our women dread to walk alone,
knowing that more than a cool breeze
follows at their back,
Fear is the thick shroud weighing
heavily on slender, brown shoulders.

El Paso de Juárez
Impossible to believe
to imagine
their screams,
their terror as it fills
long, black nights
before they die alone,
impossible to believe!

El Paso de Juárez
Impossible to believe that
night after night
even ‘La Llorona’
rises to wander and wail,
to search for her lost soul
and sees nothing
and says nothing!

El Paso de Juárez
sin ojos, no tenemos alma
without eyes, we have no soul
sin manos, no tenemos fuerza
without hands, we have no strength
sin grito, no tenemos futuro
without one voice, we have no future!
El Paso - one step
Juárez - one cry must awaken us.



LUCINA
MEXICO - USA
copyright 2002