E Mail to Damniso Lopez: Revolutionary

E Mail to Damniso Lopez

The Death of Luis,
Philosophy Professor Turned Revolutionary


Luis wounded, said to Damniso,
I think I'm on the steps of the enemy,
The new luxurious government building,
Black basalt columns, golden gargoyles
Sticking out forked golden tongues.
Each tile has a different design.
My head bleds on a dark blue tile
Spotted with pale blue abstract lilies.
It is beautiful to see the vermilion
Of the neon dancing girl on the bar
across the street
Reflected on the pastel blue of a lily petal.

Damniso said to Luis, No,
you are in a vacant lot
Among empty bottles and abandoned shoes.
Damniso quoted words Luis used to speak,
"To believe you know where you are
is just another failure of vision."

Damniso wondered why he and Luis
had not deserted,
For they no longer believed in
the revolutionary ideals.

Luis, dying, started to believe
he was the Virgin Mary.
He cried, "I'm going to give birth
to the savior of mankind."
Damniso told Luis, "Luis,
you are not any virgin,
You're not a woman.
Only a woman can give birth."
Luis said,
"When we think we know who we are
It is just another failure of vision."
He died.


Duane Locke

Posted over on The Beckoning