Two Poems for Nicaragua
Return to sender (Managua, Nicaragua Postal Service) I
Turn at the corner known as “gallo más gallo”
2 blocks toward the lake, and at Doña Blanquita the Belle’s house
look to the right and up a little
as toward the sky and then lower your gaze to the tree charred
in the earthquake, right there where
Don Francisco props himself up in the window to talk
with Pedro Xavier and that Gloria girl,
at the next house take just three steps,
knock on the door where there’s always a rocker,
and deliver these poems and this letter, please.
And if nobody takes them or the person whose name
is written on the envelope is no longer living,
return to where you came from.
Go slow, looking over your shoulder,
who knows if the address is right,
and perhaps someone will ask you, Mr. Mailman,
who are you looking for to these many hours in this neighborhood
in Managua?
Return to sender (Managua, Nicaragua Postal Service) II
For Pablo Salomone
Pablo, the Argentine guerrilla fighter, made his way with his Uzi,
one afternoon in 1978 or 1979 in Managua,
hotter than blazes,
on a slip of paper he had the address of his contact.
He knew nothing about Managua, only a map, and that
slip of paper with the address of Comandante Gloria,
19, chocolate-colored.
As the young Argentine ran along, crouching between trees and houses,
the address was right there on the slip of paper:
“When you come to the corner of the bar “Los Olvidados, ”
continue on for three blocks, careful with the poet Guillermo’s gate
that can trip you up if you don’t see it,
go on to the right and pass by three yellow houses with grillework,
make no noise when you walk through the ironwork gate
where there are three mango trees
and across from there you’ll see a wall painted red and black
with some bullet holes made by Somoza’s sons of bitches,
on the corner is your contact’s house,
in the window there will be a vase with a single flower
you should whistle the ballad “Nosotros” for a good while.
If the vase disappears, knock on the door three times.”
It’s been several centuries since then. The world travels down a different path.
The whole socialist camp has crumbled. Pablo didn’t die in that
1979 war. He still has that slip of paper of his contact
with Comandante Gloria. He recently visited a different Managua
and looked for that very address.
The house was in the same spot, except that on the wall painted red and black,
with the same Somoza National Guard bullet holes,
there was now a mural with the photo of the self-same comandante Daniel Ortega,
the presidential candidate, backed by Somoza’s party.
The very same dynasty of the Somozas’ who ordered
the killing of that girl while the teen-age Argentine guerrilla
whistled a ballad one blistering hot afternoon.
(Both Poems Translated from Spanish by W. Nick Hill)
poem by Javier Campos
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
The Black House On The Corner
I passed by that house everday,
wondering what lurked inside of it,
was their some kind of ancient evil inside,
or a normal family that we never saw,
a house of macarbe,
it was painted black like the devil's sin,
it was surrouned by devilish-looking,
figures that stood outside on the line,
was also surrounded by a black pointed fence,
rumors of the devil himself living there,
the devil in the flesh,
satan living on my street corner,
The black house on the corner,
can't you see it,
you must walk past it everyday to,
dosen't your mind wander,
when you walk by The black house,
don't you to know what lays inside of the house,
maybe a ton of dead bodies under the floor boards,
a madman butcherd up his family,
could that be true,
or are our young minds racing again,
with impure and insane thoughts about,
who or what lives in the black house on the corner,
the black house,
painted with the devil's sin,
We were told to stay away from the black house,
that so many evils lived inside of it,
but us being kids we didn't want to live,
we wanted to see what was inside of the black house on the corner,
But we are to afraid to go forward,
we are to afraid to step through the gate,
and walk up the beaten path to the door bell,
it looks so old and so evil,
The black house on the corner,
we shall never know what evilness,
or what macabre force resides within,
the black house on the corner,
whatever you do,
don't go into the black house on the corner,
stay away from,
the black house on the corner,
it holds so many evils,
the black house on the corner,
poem by Robert Rumery
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Return To Sender
I gave a letter to the postman,
He put it his sack.
Bright in early next morning,
He brought my letter back.
She wrote upon it:
Return to sender, address unknown.
No such number, no such zone.
We had a quarrel, a lovers spat
I write Im sorry but my letter keeps coming back.
So then I dropped it in the mailbox
And sent it special d.
Bright in early next morning
It came right back to me.
She wrote upon it:
Return to sender, address unknown.
No such person, no such so.
This time Im gonna take it myself
And put it right in her hand.
And if it comes back the very next day
Then Ill understand - the writing on it
Return to sender, address unknown.
No such number, no such zone.
song performed by by Elvis Presley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Shattered windows, Colors of white
Across the street is a new house with a room painted red, with no holes of white.
Next to me, a house purple, with its color pealing off, with holes of black and white
At the end of the street, an old house once yellow, what now remains white.
The sound of a hammer building a house, entering a place with a color unknown.
On the street,
Windows covered with ice
Some shine with light.
Some broken
Some fixed
Some lost, out of sight.
A house, two blocks from here.
Shines with lights of yellow, red, and green everywhere.
A wall keeping the wind from blowing anywhere.
The house next door, at the dawn of the day.
Paints its room black, and peals the color away.
The wall crumbles.
The wind blows across the colors of yellow, red and green
Breaks all the windows.
Turns the yellow to blue, red to black, and green to white.
The house two blocks away.
Adds a line of yellow red and green everyday.
To allow the house of blue, black and white to shine for us some day.
poem by Linda ErikssonBique
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Another Exams
Of a year wasted in a foreign land trying to learn a language,
Of a year gone by with another exams to write again;
But, where is this future leading me to?
I have no money oin my pocket and,
Where is the future for me?
September 6th results,
Like a clip of an artwork to the universe;
But to Managua and Nicaragua,
Here is my voice again with a bitter heart to write my muse.
Man oh man!
Boy oh boy!
This style of living over here is unbearable;
And i have to live with my head always.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Gloria
Yeah, right.
Did you hear about my baby? she come around,
She come round here, the head to the ground?
Come round here just about midnight,
She makes me feel so good, make me feel all right.
She come round my street, now
She come to my house and
Knock upon my door
Climbing up my stairs, one, two
[unwriteable improvisation]
Come on baby
Here she is in my room, oh boy
Hey whats your name?
How old are you?
Whered you go to school?
Aha, yeah
Aha, yeah
Ah, ah yeah, ah yeah
Oh haa, mmm
Well, now that we know each other a little bit better,
Why dont you come over here
Make me feel all right!
Gloria, gloria
Gloria, gloria
Gloria, gloria
All night, all day
All right, okey, yey!
(gloria, gloria)
You were my queen and I was your fool,
Riding home after school.
You took me home
To your house.
Your fathers at work,
Your mamas out shopping around.
Check me into your room.
Show me your thing.
Whyd you do it baby?
Getting softer, slow it down
Softer, get it down
Now you show me your thing.
Wrap your legs around my neck,
Wrap your arms around my feet, yeah
Wrap your hair around my skin.
Im gonna huh, right, ok, yeah.
Its getting harder, its getting too darn fast
Its getting harder
All right!
Come on, now, lets get it on.
Too late, too late, too late,
Too late, too late, too late,
Cant stop, wow!
Make me feel all right!
Gloria, gloria
Gloria, gloria
All night, all day
All right, okey, yey!
Gloria, gloria
Keep the whole thing going, baby!
All right!
All right!
Aaaaah
song performed by by Doors
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
She Has Faces
She has faces up in her bedroom and they gaze down on her guarding her slumber
A black bead rosary under her pillow and when it thunders she clutches it tightly
And she hears silence is white, sound is black, the world is wrapped in a paper sack
And when I leave I close the door to this galaxy of yours
Dropping by I open a window as the breeze blows in the curtains are butterflies
And we hear the church bells ring out on a hill and all of their echoes left us singing
Silence is black, the room is bright, our world is basking in tv light
And we are laid out on the floor of this galaxy of yours
With all of your heroes waiting in paper piles laid on the floor
I push my paintbrush lightly and fill in any empty nail holes
A dresser top, a jewelry box, colored tassels tied in knots
And a porcelain girl danced a music box ballet for us
And your nightlight is a star, or a firefly, that
Leads my gaze up to the ceiling
Wondering if you think that its the sky
With all of your heroes...
Open the window slightly, pick up paper off the floor
I hold my paintbrush tightly, and fill in any empty nail holes
Open the window slightly
song performed by by Verve Pipe
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Knock On Any Door
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Baby knock on any door
Knock on any door
Is there any place you want to go
Baby who you lookin for
Yeah, yeah, baby now you know
Its a cold world like they told you so
Knock on any door
Save your tears for some occasion
Keep your heartache to yourself
Knock on any door
Its a simple operation
Just trade your memory for your health
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Its insane girl, you cant run away
Its the same world it was yesterday
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Now, now, now how do you survive
With a pain so real, in a world so jive
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Peek through any shade
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
song performed by by Jackson Browne
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
(Personal Poem) Big Sister is Missing
You don't have to sanction what I'm doing.
I need not your approval to continue on.
Though at times it would be nice.
To hear from you.
To say I'm glad your still alive.
But silence is all you give me.
I think its all I'll ever see.
In a world behind closed doors.
Miles off in the distance who cares.
Well I do.
And I'll remind you everyday if I have to.
I'm not going anywhere.
And this I swear.
With every angry breath of air.
I still love you.
We are blood and it'll never be forgotten.
Even in hell on earth and much worse.
I will never speak to you from something rehearsed.
I will speak only the word that comes to me.
Small and incidental to most.
But I don't care because I'm trying to reach a ghost.
Somebody who disappeared over five months ago.
poof gone with no given notice.
Not a single phone call.
Nothing to let me know the kids are alright.
So just talk to me my big sister.
Contact me by email,
Contact me by phone.
Contact me by address.
Anyway to let me knowing your doing alright.
Cause I no longer see your light.
I'm so afraid something bad might have happen.
Without a trace, with my soul searching for the right words to say.
I'm sorry for anything and everything I've done to you.
Anything to bring you back to my reality.
A wake up call.
Can you hear me at all.
This is not funny.
I don't know where you are.
Is it far.
I'm so in the dark.
I'm going pray for you everyday till contact is made.
poem by Ace Of Black Hearts
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Gloria
(van morrison)
Like to tell you bout my baby
You know she comes around,
Just bout five feet four a-from her head to the ground
You know she comes around here just about midnight
She make me feel so good, lord
She make me feel all right
And her name is g-l-o-r-i
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
Im gonna shout it all night gloria
Im gonna shout it every day, gloria
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
She comes around here just about midnight, ha
She make me feel so good, lord
I wanna say she make me feel all right
Comes a-walkin down my street
Then she comes up to my house
She knock upon my door and then she comes to my room
Yeah an she make me feel all right
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
Im gonna shout it all night gloria
Im gonna shout it every day gloria
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Looks so good gloria
All right, feel so good gloria
All right, yeah now
song performed by by Rick Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Slip Away
Friends have said to lock the door
And have an open house no more
The said the factory must change
And slowly slip away
But if i have to live in fear
Where will i get my ideas
With all those crazy people gone
Will i slowly slip away
Still there's no more billy name
Ondine is not the same
Wonton and the turtle gone
Slowly slip away
Slowly slip away
If i close the factory door
And don't see those people anymore
If i give in to infamy
I'll slowly slip away
I know it seems that friends are right
Hello daylight, goodbye night
But starlight is so quiet here
Think i'll slowly slip away
What can i do by myself
It's good to here from someone else
It's good to hear a crazy voice
Will not slip away
Will not slip away
If i have to live in fear
My ideas will slowly slip away
If i have to live in fear
I'm afraid my life will slip away
If you can't see me past my door
Why your thoughts could slowly slip away
If i have to lock the door
Another life exists no more slip away
Friends have said to lock the door
Watch out for who comes through the door
The said the factory must change
But i don't
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Gloria
Like to tell you 'bout my baby, you know she comes around,
Just 'bout five feet four a-from her head to the ground.
You know she comes around here just about midnight,
She make me feel so good, lord, she make me feel all right.
And her name is g-l-o-r-i,
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
I'm gonna shout it all night gloria
I'm gonna shout it every day, gloria
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.
She comes around here just about midnight, ha
She make me feel so good, lord, i wanna say she make me feel all right.
Comes a-walkin' down my street, then she comes up to my house,
She knock upon my door and then she comes to my room,
Yeah an' she make me feel all right,
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
G-l-o-r-i-a gloria
I'm gonna shout it all night gloria
I'm gonna shout it every day gloria
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah,
Looks so good gloria
All right, feel so good gloria
All right, yeah now.
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
I am your maternal Aunt from Ohio!
A letter came without the sender's address.
She's written 'I am your Aunt but I cannot prove it.
Do not think that I am senile,
Still I can trace Judas who made the crown of thorns
For our Good Shepherd!
Do not think that I am mean
The Plumbago mine to whom I give
Before I take oaths in the Heaven.
Purposely I omitted my address on the envelope
Because I know you rascal never step into this lonely Aunt's habitation!
And you scribble the whole life until you go to the Hell!
I am your Aunt Hellen!
For the young couple in the Wedlock Mike & Sue!
*Is this the Canadian Aunt once poor deceased Mom mentioned in my faded dream?
But she must have gone to the heaven already.I have doubts whether she writes her last will the Plumbago mine for me? Now I remember once a palmist in my country predicted, one day I own a sudden wealth in a strange soil.O I can make pencils for poor children free!
poem by Nimal Dunuhinga
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Upon this paper my life is written
Upon this paper my life is written,
a tree doubled over in pain.
The red ink flows over the skin,
full stops and commas are hair and stars:
eyes of sea left on ships,
destroyed houses, rusting girders.
This paper is as black as the storm,
destroyed villages where there is no fiesta.
This paper burns as reason does,
lightning in the sky flashes in its millions.
This paper is a sky where there is no God,
this paper is alone…
this paper does not fly…
this paper… it is I.
poem by Menotti Lerro from The Poetry of Menotti Lerro (2011), translated by Andrew Mangham, Maria Rosaria La Marca
Submitted by anonym
Vote! | Copy!
Going Back To Gloria
Written by orbison/dees.
Going back to gloria,the girl Im dreaming of.
Going back to gloria,gloria my love.
Forget about the letters that I wrote to you.
Forget about the many things we used to do.
I dont want you to cry,but I must say goodbye.
So long youre on your own.
Going home,going back to gloria.
Going back to gloria, the girl Im dreaming of.
Going back to gloria, gloria my love.
Ill keep on pretending that I never cared
And everytime well meet Ill act like youre not there.
I will write no more letters.Ill make no more calls.
I cant meet you anymore.
Going home,going back to gloria.
Going back to gloria, going back to gloria.gloria.
Going back to gloria.the girl Im dreaming of.
Going back to gloria,gloria my love, gloria my love.
song performed by by Roy Orbison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Knock Knock
The tide crashed on the shore
As he held her in his arms
They swore their love would stay forever more
And never slip away
From this moment on
As they made their wedding vows
He knew how life would change, oh
Love was blind for now
Hey, but knock, knock, knock
Put the chain on the door
Shes back again and now she wants more
Knock, knock, knock
The thiefs back to steal
The shirt off my back, my next meal
Im not living anymore
Im just breathing day to day
Everything I had has gone, she has taken it away
Heavens door has opened and looked me in the eye
And there is no mt. olympus, just before you die
*
Knock, knock, knock
Shes got the house and the car
The only thing left is my old guitar
Knock, knock, knock
Her foots in the door
The shirts off my back, now she wants more
And tonight on t.v. well they show a happy pair
I almost wept with laughter
As some fool caught the bouquet the bride threw in the air
(instrumental)
At the final curtain call, in the neon light display
I see all the ugly scars that illuminate my day
And hail the promised land, its upped and gone to bed
Bleeding hearts and mothers weeping
Sometimes I wish her dead
Repeat *
Hey, but knock, knock, knock
Put the chain on the door
Shes back again and now she wants more
Knock, knock, knock
The thiefs back to steal
The shirt off my back, stays in my next meal
song performed by by Ufo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
You Knock Me Out
You got you got you got (whooo)
Come on baby and show me what you got
Come on baby (don't be shy, no don't be shy)
Let the music hypnotize you (whooo)
You got me feelin' good
From head to feet like I knew you would
Baby heaven must have broken the fall
Cause girl your love is out of control
And it's caught up
In you
Cause don't don't nobody do me like you do
Yeah
You hit me
You knock me out
Yeah you hit me
You knock me out
And it's caught up
in you
Cause don't know nobody do me like you do
Come on come on baby Whoo
Come on come on baby
Come on Whoo
(Dance with me baby- Dance with me baby)
Oh
Come on baby
Like the father's house on Sunday morn
You give me joy
Like victory after the war
I'm comin home baby to ya girl
In this corner
In you
Cause can't nobody do me like you do
You hit me
Said you knock me out
You hit me
Girl you knock me out
In this corner (I'm the champ)
In you
Cause can't nobody do me like you do
Dance with me baby
Da da da da da
Dance with me baby
Dance with me baby
Dance with me baby
Come on dance with me baby
Listen to me
Hey
Listen to me
Ooooh
The Melody
Oh girl
It's you
Cause can't nobody do me like you do
You hit me
Girl you knock me out
Yes you did
You hit me
Oh baby
You knock me out
Whoo
In this corner (I'm the champ)
In you
Can't nobody do me like you do
Like a speed train in the way
You hit me baby
You knock me out...
song performed by by R. Kelly
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The World's Address
I know you deceived me, couldn't sleep last night
Now my tear stains on the wall reflect an ugly sight
I can see your secrets
No need to confess
Everyone looks naked when you know the world's address
The world's address
A place that's worn
A sad pun that reflects a sadder mess
I'll repeat it for those who may not have already guessed
The world's address
Life's parade of fashion just leaves me depressed
Under every garment i can see the world's address
Call the men of science and let them hear this song
Tell them albert einstein and copernicus were wrong
The world's address
A place that's worn
A sad pun that reflects a sadder mess
I'll repeat it for those who may not have already guessed
The world's address
Call the men of science and let them hear this song
Tell them albert einstein and copernicus were wrong
The world's address
A place that's worn
A sad pun that reflects a sadder mess
I'll repeat it for those who may not have already guessed
The world's address
A place that's worn
A sad pun that reflects a sadder mess
I'll say it one more time for those who may not have already guessed
The world's address
song performed by by They Might Be Giants
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Paper Flowers
You seem like a girl who likes to tell her bed is made
You seem like a girl who likes to wear her pearls
Well Im not the type who likes to dwell,
Save my money or kiss and tell, yeah
Oh why does she water them, paper flowers?
This girl walks up so graciously,
Slips something in my pocket so secretly,
I said: honey, whats this you gave to me?
Oh nothing, water, wait and see
I said: paper flowers, they cant grow!
Just giveem water and let me know,
Giveem water and let me know, giveem water
And let me know
Oh why does she water them, paper flowers?
Paper flowers...
Oh why does she water them, paper flowers?
Paper flowers...
Shes dressed in black as you can see,
She tries so damn hard to be the enemy,
Shes got big black boots, get outta her way,
She wants to kick tomorrow, punch yesterday,
Kick tomorrow, punch yesterday
Oh why does she water them, paper flowers?
Paper flowers...
Turn a light on, turn a different light on
Turn a light on, turn a different light on now
Turn a light on, turn a different light on
Turn a light on, turn a different light on now!
Oh why does she water them, paper flowers?
Paper flowers...
song performed by by Live
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
What Profanity?
Hey you! Son of a beach.
Come here, get off your sheet.
That beach of yours, how many years?
Since you were born by your.
Mother, father yeah where are they?
In the dam? Dam! You say!
Let us go there you son of a beach!
Leave the beach alone.
They won't touch your beach.
Oh so you want to protect your beach?
Wait where is the dam!
Ill give you pen and paper...Give the dam address.
Wait my pen is lacking its liquids
Give me another pen because my pen is small
In ink level, i need a good pen.
There nice, now give me the dam address.
Thanks boy! Now go back to your sheet and
Guard the beach.
poem by Ben Henry Baang
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
To Keep Watching
The one thing that made my day, today
He was handed a slip of paper
The one thing that made my day, today
The teacher's face blank and unreadable
The student's face pale and drawn with fear
The one thing that made my day, today
Until he read the paper
The one thing that made my day, today
The door shut closed behind the teacher
The one thing that made my day, today
All the other students turned back around
Except one
The one thing that made my day, today
And that one saw the thing that made her day
The one thing that made my day, today
The boy read the paper ... and he smiled.
poem by Hannah Shier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!