THE CONSECRATION OF COFFEE
to Archbishop Oscar A. Romero
One day of god
drinking coffee in my patio
nothing is normal--
not the calla
with its penis of gold
nor the iris
like purple lava
a volcano spills.
I find in the depths of the cup
chasubles embroidered
with black moths
& red stains--
the sun fires
a scintillation of silver bullets
& of candles drowned--
there is blood in its shine.
I place the cup on its saucer
with a most tender care
as if it were a chalice
& say the litany:
Guatemala
Nicaragua
El Salvador
& one side of my heart
tastes white & sweet
like cane sugar
& the other,
like coffee,
bitter & black.
-
to Archbishop Oscar A. Romero
One day of god
drinking coffee in my patio
nothing is normal--
not the calla
with its penis of gold
nor the iris
like purple lava
a volcano spills.
I find in the depths of the cup
chasubles embroidered
with black moths
& red stains--
the sun fires
a scintillation of silver bullets
& of candles drowned--
there is blood in its shine.
I place the cup on its saucer
with a most tender care
as if it were a chalice
& say the litany:
Guatemala
Nicaragua
El Salvador
& one side of my heart
tastes white & sweet
like cane sugar
& the other,
like coffee,
bitter & black.
-