Spanish is spoken

SPANISH IS SPOKEN IN "EL LIMBO"

By Amparo Jaramillo-Restrepo

"...some immigrants live forever in a kind of limbo..." Words of one of the
protagonists of the short story which bears my book's title "En el limbo se habla
español".


Spanish is spoken in "el limbo".
In bodegas packed 
with papayas and mangos; 
in the cloudy space
of suburban churches
where sins and remorse
got tired of kneeling down
amidst the dull scene
of icons and incense;
in unexpected social
gatherings, where nostalgia
evokes distorted visions
beheaded by the sharp,
steel blade of absence.

Spanish is spoken in "el limbo"
in order to repeat tales and myths
heard time back in some remote
Andean town, or hallucinated
Caribbean villages,
among yellow butterflies
and blasting "cumbias"
extended to the wind.
In stinking ghetto streets
where small untamed children,
who were never taught
to play piano, throw stones.

Spanish is spoken in "el limbo"
while agony
with its chisel of time,
carves upon immigrant faces
mystery masks.

We should  invent
another language,
a secret, magical,
timeless language,
to express our tears, hopes,
silences and anguish.

Web Design by Carlos E. Restrepo
Carlos@mipoesia.com

	*SPANISH IS SPOKEN IN "EL LIMBO."*