Author Information
For Victor Jara
"No creo en nada
sino en el amor
de los seres humanos"
--Victor Jara (1932-1973)
La luna siempre es muy linda
They can kill you--but not your lyrics--
And entice them with fancy living,
Their Coca-Cola smiles and the pretense--
Taking, taking, but never giving.
I can see your face brightly smiling
And your songs of peace brightly burning--
They can try to silence the people,
But they cannot stop their yearning.
I can see that day, Victor Jara--
That sad day when they tortured and killed you--
They can lie and buy off some people,
But they can't kill a dream of freedom.
So I go on singing this poem,
That your message spreads widely around--
They can kill or silence a poet,
But his songs will bloom from the ground.
March 8, 2004
