Soleado
Revista de literatura y cultura

freedom: second poem

this is a poem for us pochos
who can get lost in the space
between libre and free
losing revolucionario
in the translation
feeling lost when we claim
our world
con este habla inglés

though the precious
spanish itself
may trip on the tip
of our tongues
mangling words
bursting from the mouths
of our wide and dark
indio faces

libre is not a word
we have known
in our days
or theirs
libre is not a word
we were taught to spell
in school
with wide pencils

libre is a word
we have strained
to hear
even in sleep
libre is a word
our anxious fingers trace
in forgetting sand
testimony for the ocean

libre is not a word
we have known
has no inglitch
translation
libre is not free
free is gratis
and has to do with sales
and giveaways and financing
no, libre is not free

this is a poem for us pochos
who can get lost in the space
between libre and free
losing revolucionario
in the translation,
us pochos who will learn
and listen and speak and write
in whatever language we can

el corazón no conoce idioma

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