l.a. writers collective

Reflections on water

And when the sky fell to Earth, landing on its knees-- it didn't crush us.
We already knew what it's like to be down.
The difference now,
is that their pain is real and ours is just an afterthought.
No matter what they put before us,
the tide is growing , swelling.
Water shoots upwards bringing down the aching sky.
Wind is our accomplice.
There is a great scheme.
There is a plot.
There are conspiracies here.

Surely, as water boils so does blood,
and just as water is spilt so is blood.
The difference:
water dries but blood stains.
No amount of white-washing of walls will ever cover up our blood.
No vessel can contain all the water at once.
It rises, it swells
shooting down the aching sky
tearing down the heavens in outraged cries.

And this time, when the sky rises again,
holding it up will be new women and new men.

And if that sky fails to bring rain,
they have every right to let it go.



Carlo Botero
2002

posted by Carlo Botero @ 7:15 PM