Dedicated to Licha Ortiz
Her father Fernando Ortiz Disappeared in 1976
Soon the sun rose in September, Santiago
with wounded soul
friends work and celebrate.
Comrades remember: We’re still memory
memory hidden by the laws of terror.
Memory files built with resistance,
battles against the evil Chilean, state 1973.
photos of childhood are absences
photos of childhood are unanswered questions.
Soon the sun rose in September, Santiago
with wounded soul
volcano yawning dreams of centuries.
volcano wakes us up and asks us
who are we?
Soon the sun rose in September-Santiago
where are the brave soldiers hidden?
the brave soldiers are silent
hiding the crimes’ medals
of officers and Generals, traitors.
Soon the sun rose in September, Santiago
as a repeated spring without memory
as a museum open 24 hours a day.
Soon the sun rose in September, Santiago
the underground struggle was home
the underground was the best cultivated garden
those fights never forget we shared fruits and pain
they were born that spring riddled
with those brave soldiers.
Traitorous, murderous Generals
Salvador Allende will be remembered,
in the struggle and victory forever.
This poem first appeared in the self-published book The Two Rivers of Granada Descend from the Snow to the Wheat (Los dos Rios de granada Bajan de la Nieve al Trigo), Ediciones Monje Califa, Adelaide, 2014.