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My Heart Carries No Shield by Andrés Alfaro

mahmag  •  26 October, 2006

My Heart Carries No Shield

My heart was forged in the fires created between two lovers
It grew and palpitated with desire through my childhood
and was nurtured by the gardens of my parents.
Today it pumps life through these young veins
Bringing sustenance and happiness to every cell and pore.
No shield protects the castle walls of this heart,
which is forever prone to the attacks of the cannons
of Love.
andres alfaro



DOMESTIC TIDINGS

Her frustrated face is filling with angst
As boy climbs higher through the depths of space
Her hands trembled hard while her feet contended
Against her body, her mind tormented.


Blood soaked carpet traces the clues
Of domestic tidings inside baby shoes
His body is numb as the ringing of metal
Resounds through the room like whistling tea kettle.

New born baby is gasping for breath
As seven days of life turn to seven days of death
New born mother is crouching in corner
While new born daddy barks out his first order.

"Nothing has passed, no one is broken
Maybe she was defective like some tin can coffin
Don't you believe what your eyes tell your heart
We can get the fuck from here and have a new start".

But eyes flash from him toward her former treasure
The only thing left that had given her any pleasure
Now tears flow free like whiskey from broken bottle
As her crimson face melts into her crimson sorrow.

A universe once constructed on his sweetest loving
His smile, his warmth were brightly reflecting
The shadowy demons that lay in him dormant
Like a watery reflection that animates without warning.

A mixture of contempt and problems with money
Had pushed him toward searching for solace in honey
A sweetness that dulled all screams from his wife
She watched him break glass and then plunge the knife.


Colic bursts of noise swirl into agony
As Daddy falls backward, dragged down by Mommy
Time turns to stone as three turns to two
Silence ensues as air turns to glue.

Colorless neighbors have ears pressed to wall
Whispering, "Those niggers have sure got some gall"
Quickly they call cops to their building
Knowing that violence 'tween blacks would be kindling

For fire! For fire! the media would rave
In face of black violence now whites must be brave
The proof's in the pudding! the media would rally
Just look at the prisons! Just look at the tally!

But that would be future, so wind back to now
Where the only word uttered by Mommy is, "How?"
Daddy is throwing his few things in bag
Insisting that fleeing leaves no time to lag

But right as he paces swiftly toward door
Police enter quickly and knock him to floor
Stupor has changed suddenly for Mommy
She yearns for her sugar, which came from her body.

Neighbors eye hall as sirens are blaring
There couldn't exist people less caring
Meanwhile Mommy has managed to grip
Knife of cold steel from which crimson would drip.

Praying to God that she'd be united
Once more with baby, she slowly recited
"May God show me mercy by giving me power
To fuse me once more with my precious flower".

And having said this she clenched her face fierce
The spectators watched as she started to pierce

Organs once vital to ushering in new life
Are now being mangled by long, serrated knife.

Andrés Alfaro
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Comments

Posted by MS  •  03 November, 2006  •  07:04:26

Your poem brings sustenance and happiness to every cell and pore of me.
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Posted by vesna  •  12 January, 2007  •  09:57:44

stunned!
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