"Chicano writers from El Paso are the most progressive, open-minded, far-reaching, and inclusive writers of them all."

Octavio Romano

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Lunes con Lalo Delgado: Poetic Wisdom for your Week: La Barraca and Triple Riddle


We had set the Lune Con Lalo do go out automatically on Monday, but it didn't so here it is.


Abelardo and Dolores Delgado (painting by Emmanuel Martinez)





Lunes con Lalo Delgado
La Barraca and Triple Riddle



La Barraca

opening night. The beer isn't cold yet.
november 12...i bet we'll soon forget
yet,
when four very determined chicanos
go on business together
and open a bar
in the middle of the texas desert
near mission
it can be taken
as a declaration
of independence
a vintage juke box:
blasts vintage chicano rancheras y corridos
the first customers,
lalo, lucas, lupe y rené...
los dueños: pablo, rubén y samuel
tend bar and drink away the profits.
marcos lopes, sí señor, joins the group
and others come into the opening occasion.
--- set up the first round ---
--- pongan las otras,
yo las pago.---
the fourth owner of the “establishment”
is away in philadelphia.
he is narciso alemán.
I receive two unexpected compliments:
--- I was looking forward to meeting you.
i remember many lines from your poems.---
words paying for words.
sincerely said, i'm sure.
i wish them suerte en su empresa
and toast away their economic venture.
more than a cuartel
para los chicanos de acción
que piden revolución.
by Abelardo B. Delgado
Originally published in Caracol, Feb. 1978, Vol. 4, No. 6 
(c) Abelard Delgado 1978


Triple Riddle

Once a man
who could love
couldn’t make love.

He then met
a man who
could make love
but couldn't love.

Which is worse?

Which is me,
which is you
of the two?

The important
potency of love
or the potent
impotence of love
always prevails.

Abelardo
Feb. 01
from an 7 Abelardos collection dates Feb. 16, 2002 
(c) Abelardo Delgado 2001

Published with permission from the Delgado family.


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