Sunday, August 13, 2017

red star (for Fidel)

Black August highlight...
His name was Fidel Castro! Show me someone who has done more for the Afrikan world in the last 100 years!...Show me...
He was born on this day, August 13th, 1926...Enjoy this praisepoem for this legend...



red star (for Fidel)
by ‘bro. zayid’

“The Cuban Revolution! That’s a revolution!
They overturned the system!...”
            Malcolm X, Message to the Grassroots

“People/ make the/ world go ‘round…”
            People Make The World Go ‘Round, The Stylistics (1973)

Comandante Fidel has decided
that it was time that he left us…
after showing an impoverished
but pretty people
how the wealth and power
of unity and principle
courage and creativity
collective work and solidarity
can transform their lives…
after refusing to say ‘uncle’
to that bully of empire that is ‘uncle sam’…
after the turning Cold War pawns of the Cuban people
into Carlotta knighted warriors
checkmating Apartheid in their own blood in battle...
into rhumba rocking raging rooks
and agents of change…
after nine decades of defiance and dignity…
nine decades…nine decades!...
Comandante Fidel has decided
that it was time that he left us…
And so he did…
on wings whirlwind wide
lifted by lyrics of Guillen, of Neruda
of Corretjer, or Matos Paoli,
of Baraka, of Cortez…
of his Colombian companero
Gabriel Garcia marquez…
the man with the beard
tall eyes and long lungs
has left us…
on wings whirlwind wide
flying high with a gallant green-fatigued stride
guided by that white dove
seeking that ultimate love from up above…
in pursuit of a place
pain free disease free
exploitation and strife free…
a place well beyond the cia sinister dead presidents
and soon to be dead presidents
a place beyond casualties
and the trauma of war…
a cane sugar sweet place…
a place of peace
an eternal harvest and feast…
a place where he is now
a cherished new red star
blazin bold in a liberated blue sky…
he has left us…
for a place of memory
and the kiss and taste of eternal justice and victory
to meet and kneel before Maceo and Marti
to reunite with Che’
and to be received with an ovation
by a column of martyrs and the revolutionary departed…
he has left us
for that place that  chiseled him into a cherished
brand new red star
forever burning bright in a liberated blue sky…
so in this moment
as we wring our eyes of the truth of his new absence
as we face these clear and present dangers
as familiar and as sinister as ever
we remember what we have done
together
with our own hands and hearts while he was with us…
what we did together
no matter the obstacles or hostilities
and we say ’yo soy Fidel’*…  ‘I am Fidel’
and we continue…
against the tyranny and tantrum
that is this backwards blockade and empire
we continue and we say
‘yo soy Fidel’ …’I am Fidel!...
against the evil of poverty and treatable disease
we snap the wrists of this order of exploitation
responsible for that needless suffering
and we say ‘yo soy Fidel’...’ I am Fidel’!
against the rot of racism
that engenders hate, torture, mass suffering,
genocide and death…
against the sickness of sexism
that barbarically violates women and girls
deforming and stunting all human development
we continue and we say
‘yo soy Fidel’…’I am Fidel!...
against the gloating of the global pharmaceutical complex
taunting the suffering with their high prices and flippancy
against the seductive mischiefmaking of the marketeers
against the handshaking deceit of the vampires of capital
we continue and we say
‘yo soy Fidel’ …’I am Fidel’!...
so now that he has left us with our history and heritage
of hope
full in our hands
we continue
continue to provide sanctuary from the empire’s persecuted…
continue to build and fight for human development
to meet human needs wherever there is suffering
continue to share everything we have
no matter how meager as a matter of principle…
as the profiteers
cringe
at our refusal to capitulate
as we sing dance train and fight
to their dismay
to our delight
we continue…
with the light of Che’ in our eyes
inspired by Fidel’s blazing brand new red star
shining in a liberated blue sky
we continue!...
and we say
‘yo soy Fidel’  ‘I am Fidel’!
from our oldest and most battle borne
to our youngest between school and play
from our hotel workers patient with the petty of tourists
to compesinos proudly working their land
from lovers strolling the malecon
to our most advanced itchings of science
revolutionary and natural…
from the singing sierra maestra mountains
to the muscular cuddle of the countryside…
we continue and we say
‘yo soy Fidel
‘yo soy Fidel
‘yo soy Fidel!’…
‘I am Fidel
‘I am Fidel
‘I am Fidel!’
and we continue!...

“but that’s what makes the world go round
the up and down the carousel…
“changing people’s heads around
go underground, young man!...
“people make the world go round!...”
 
‘Yo soy Fidel’ (trans. ‘I am Fidel’)
©2017 All rights reserved



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