WE'LL WALK ON

This is a poem for Albeiro Bustamente
We must not go to the jungle
we must not fight their violence with violence 
This is a poem for Alberto Leon Munoz
We must talk to the people we must help them to wake up 
They must learn
to shed their yoke
This is a poem for Alfonso Cujavante
violence, the padre said, begets only violence
and the violence of the Americans up North, the compadre said
begets even more violence
and they send their drones to the jungle
we must not go, sister, we must not, brother
we must talk to the people
we must be
the salt of the earth
This is a poem for Alvaro Garces Parra
We must not despond, must turn grief into energy
we cry for you compañero
but we walk on
we walk on
This is a poem for Alvaro Fernandez
How many do we miss 
how many have walked this path before us
This is a poem for Antonio Sorelo
The jungle is in bloom 
the jungle is dark and light
the lighting is filled  with rubbish, 
with the remnants of cabins
ashes ashes all over the lighting
The peasants, gone
The hunters and gatherers, gone
A butterfly dances in the sun
This is a poem for Argemiro Correa
and the jungle is a jungle and the city is also a jungle
Cartagena Bogota Medellin
we walk from one jungle to the next
we walk unarmed now
we search 
we search for a way to the future
more light 
the light of truth
the light of justice
This is a poem for  Artenio Valencia
It is a poem for Bernardino, too, Bernardino Garcia
and for Bernardo, Bernardo Jaramilla Ossa
They spit on your bodies 
they trample on your memory
This is a poem for Carlos Ossa
we know you walked in the light
we know you searched 
for love and humanidad 
is no empty word 
and justicia and paz and
fraternal feelings
were in your heart, as a goal, a beacon,
a guiding light
This is a poem for Carlos Dario Cruz and Carlos Kovacs
I see your earnest faces
and I love you
I sense your dedication
and I respect you
I remember the moment I heard you were killed
and I weep
This is a poem for Cesar Rodriguez
It is a poem for Crispulo Munoz
for Dario Henao, too, 
and for Demetrio, dear Demetrio Aldana
They murdered you, how stupid
for a murdered woman or man
will never live again
We know it so well
we know the danger
and walk on
This is a poem for Diana Cardona
You know what they did to her
This is a poem for Elia Castro Parada
It is a poem for Elkin Martinez
It is a poem for Enrique  Mesa Sepulveda
We don't know 
whether he lost his spectacles
when they shot him 
and he fell 
and groped for them
to better see his killers
This is a poem for Faustino Lopez
This is a poem for Felix Saenz the bearded one who looked so much like Guevara
when they brought his dead body, 
when they photographed it
I knew he was dead
a captive murdered, like Guevara, perhaps
but he was no fighter in the jungles
words were his weapon
thoughts
political activism
dedication to the people
This is a poem for Fernando Bahamon 
who was so courageous 
and determined 
and yet so skeptical at times
It is a poem for  Francisco Dumar 
and for the poetry that shone up
in his curious eyes 
it is a poem for Francisco Gaviria 
a poem of love
remindful of every love poem he ever wrote
that showed his love
for the people
yes the people
and being part of the people
we take up the pen where he left
we take the pen not the rifle
we walk on we walk on
This is a poem for Gabriel Briceno 
and for Gildardo Castano
for Gustavo Alonso Macias 
who was still so young when he died
and for Gustavo Vallejo
with his sunglasses
who was still so hopeful
hopeful and determined
and, yes,  yes, this is a poem 
for Hector Perdomo Soto 
for Hernan Calderon, the thoughful one 
and, don't you know him,  
old Hernando Gutierrez
It is a poem for them
and for Hernando Yate
And we cry and we grow silent
and we grow dedicated
and we walk on
This is a poem for Humberto Marquez
This is a poem for  Jaime Pardo Leal
and for the flowers they trampled on
these uniformed killers 
sent out to 
combat beauty in the world
This is a poem for Jairo Blandon
who saw it coming 
who did not despond
This is a poem for Jesus Antonio Martinez
who could have taught us so much
It is a poem for Jesus the bright one, Jesus Garcia
and for Jose Quiroz who was so practical
It is a poem, bright as a rose, 
for Jose Dario Rodriguez
and a poem, light like a feather
and bright like a star in the night
for Jose Leonardo Martinez
we will never forget you, 
nor all the others
you cared for so much
as we continue to search
as we continue to learn
as we walk up the stony path 
to the barrio
the place of the people
the people you cared for so much  
This is a poem for Jose Rafael Reyes
This is a poem for Jose Remigio Lopez
This is a poem, a poem for Jose Barriga
and for Juan Carlos Vargas, it is, 
he was still so young
full of fire and love
and revolt
For Julio Canon, 
whom we needed 
and for Julio Cesar Uribe
who inspired
and for Leon Aguirre
full of desire
to change this sombre place
into something jubilant
and creative
and for Leonardo Posada, of course
and Leonel Forero
and he was not a torrero
he was calm and sober
and what he fought for is not over and gone,
o it is not discarded
that dream
and the stream runs on
to the ocean
and we walk, walk on
in quest of liberty, as before
And so, this is a poem for Luis Alberto Cardina
siempre presente in our minds
and for Manuel Cepada Vargas
Marco Antonio Sanchez
and Marco Fidel Castro
yes, it is
yes it is
a blooming poem of remembrance
a promise
a dedication
we do not forget you,
we walk on
we walk on
We sing a poem
for Maria Bolivar
We chant it,
for Maria Castaneda
we pray a prayer 
of love 
and emancipation and blossoming
revolution for Maria Mercedes Mendez de Garcia
we sing in memory of all the Marias who died
we promise them
we walk on
This is therefore a poem for
Miguel Angel Diaz
It is a poem for
Noel Salazar, 
and for Norberto Garzon, it is, 
for Norberto Velazques,
and it is for Octavio Vargas Cuellar
for Orfelina Sanchez
for Pablo Caicedo with his youthful smile
for the revered señor, 
Pablo Cordoba,
for Pedro Luis Valencia the bright fighter 
for all our rights
for Pedro Nel Jimenez 
the shy writer 
of thoughtful words
for Ramon Diaz Carvajal
 the challenger of all
who feared to lose hope
and for Raul Andrade Chaparro and Sandra Rondon
for Vladimir Canon 
and Vladimiro Escobar 
and William Tabordo
who did not run away from their 
duty to the people
We know it well
they were killed in cold blood – 
fighters who opted 
for peaceful change
in a country ridden by war
We know who the killers are
and that they will lose in the end
just like their foreign friend
in that Whitewashed  Dark House up North
 

(2013)