Poet Raúl Sánchez
spoken words
Dandelion is a poem inspired by writing sessions with my daughter. On our walks she always liked to pick dandelions and blow the fuzzes off. Smoke is a poem that reminds me of my grandmother's cleansings for protection. Encarnada is a depiction of Frida Kahlo in her full glory.
"Dandelion"
My daughter and I wrote a poem last night
We picked ideas and objects to write about
We mixed them up
in a salad bowl
carefully tossed
We picked funny words
to make happy sounds
We added, repeated, deleted
We laughed and fell to our toes
pretended to be dandelions
waiting for the wind
to shake us up
We acted like daffodils
and tulips soaked in rain
We open ourselves in the morning
and closed our petals
when the sun ran away
We agreed that our poem
should be like a dandelion
so when shared with others
the words will float to the ears
of those who listen
Carried by our breath
like the dandelion fuzzes
in the breeze
and so, my daughter and I
wrote a poem last night
ALIVE and WELL
In the beginning,
I drove out through the city.
I saw people leaning
on windows, on each other,
in their living rooms.
I drove around wasting time,
hoping to see someone, anyone.
At Anderson Park
I saw a lonely man,
sitting on the grass.
Staring at the brown leaf
falling like swirls of snow
in the night.
I tried to say something,
but the words fluttered,
under my breath.
I listened to the rushing river,
became responsive to the wind,
pleased to witness
the communion of river
and lake. Redmond’s
treasures and regional relevance.
From here we speak,
we survived!
"Smoke"
When I was a young child, my Grandmother cleansed me with herbs.
This is a tribute to Grandma Carmen.
She swiftly brushed my body
with ramas de pirú and flowers
red ribbon held the willow branches
she brushed, brushed, brushed away
my stretched limbs
bad energy away from me
fragrant sap remained
on fingers dark from cutting
herbs frankincense chunks
burning copal.
Top, down, left, right
her eyes closed cleansing smoke
branches swirled
the smoke with every stroke
shaking filtering negative energy
the room full of smoke
cleansing smoke chasing evil spells
silent prayer whisper
echoed through the smoke
she opened her eyes
two moons behind the clouds.
She wrapped the loaded branches
told me to throw it behind my back
and walk away
into the light.
"Encarnada"
Para Frida Kahlo
Encarnada con labios de rosa
piel de la tierra
ojos de luna nocturna
flores en su cabello
como una reina estrella
deslumbrante
acuamarina amarilla
emergiendo de la tierra
como una fuente de aliento,
de vida, de calor, color
arte de ojo a ojo
de ceja a ceja y después
al universo nacida y creada
entre mazorcas y el maiz,
crecida de la tierra
morena como el color de su piel