Monday, November 14, 2011

Poetry

Photographer: Luis Sánchez Saturno
Occupy Santa Fe activists man the morning fire at Railroad Park


Newfound indifference for the city different
 
 
oh Santa Fe
San Francisco’s city of holy faith
did you have your back turned when they robbed you
were you hit upon the head with a bat
or a large rock when you were not expecting it

Santa Fe
did you feel your plaza slipping out from under you
or was Bishop Lamy your secret native son
was San Francisco’s simplistic wrath of humility
caught on canvas and sold in your galleries

Santa Fe
why do you allow your children to sleep without soft pillows
on your muddy sidewalks lining the
clogged arteries flowing from Agua Fria and
you smile to celebrate the multi-level brown houses
replacing your mountainous landscape
and priced high enough to chase your families out of town

Santa Fe
were you so easy to convince
was the price of your soul so easily paid for
with a few hotels and a glossy new tourist guide booklet

So Santa Fe
do not shout “free Tibet” from the bumpers
of your Volvos creating clouds of dust on Canyon Road
and look me in my eye and try to walk away arrogantly


- Adan Baca, from poesia de nuevo mexico, 2006


Courtesy of Adan Baca's Poetry

No comments:

Post a Comment