A Poem for Raúl
A poem for Raúl Salinas by Erika Gonzalez.
By Belinda Acosta, 6:10PM, Sun. Feb. 24, 2008
In memory of Raúl Roy “Tapon” Salinas (1934-2008), we continue to offer these words from those who knew him and worked with him.
Erika Gonzalez, poet and co-director of PODER (People Organized in Defense of the Earth and her Resources), Austin, Texas
This is a poem I wrote for Raúl for his tribute at the Mexican American Cultural Center [summer 2007].
About Your Presence and Survival
– for Xicanindio poetry and raúlsalinas
Who will be left to tell of what happened to us Grandfather?
Who will be left to tell of what happened to us Grandmother?
Among those who survive, there will be poets to recount that which happened to us. Among those survivors, a cockroach poet was born – en el Pinto – del maiz that grew among cemented floors and walls – that died each day only to be reborn – turtle coming out of the shell – touch outer skin protecting revolutionary insides – surviving to tell the stories of a prisoner who broke penitentiary walls with words – shone sunlight through keyholes and opened doors for la pura verdad – to heal barrio cries and broken spirits.
Died and reborn out of mother earth's womb as a Native to these Americas – with trenzas indigenas y brown listón, red bandana, y tatuajes con coded messages for the world to decipher.
And in a dream of word offerings, a young Xicanita asks, "Who will be left to tell of what happened to us? When our trees are being cut, our homes destroyed, our families displaced, our people locked or or dead – our earth in retaliation to the contamination. Who will be left?"
And in total resistance and Pura Dignidad, "Es la palabra que no nos pueden quitar," me dice. La historia – the story that cannot be burned, the story that cannot be locked up – the story cannot be shackled – the story that cannot be rephrased or stolen – When a survivor emerges and reaches out his hand to little Xicanitas like me – to la Resistencia y la Poesia de las calles y la comunidad – eso es sobrevivir. That is real suvival and a gift of life. to tell, to change, to heal, to recount what happened in our struggles y siempre pasar la palabra – y siempre pasar la palabra today – today – today – tell your story to survive and know you have the power to change the way the story ends con Resistencia y Plena Dignidad.
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Belinda Acosta, Feb. 28, 2008
Belinda Acosta, Feb. 27, 2008
raúl Salinas, Resistencia Bookstore, Erika Gonzalez