The Ofi Press Magazine

International Poetry and Literature from Mexico City

Don Cellini: 1 Poem Published

Poems by Don Cellini (USA)

Published in Issue 40 of The Ofi Press

 

It’s raining rage

 

Abel, Carlos, Adán, Felipe, Emiliano, Carlos

 

Llueve rabia. It’s raining rage.

In Mexico.  In Ayotzinapa.

Forty-three would-be teachers

were disappeared overnight.

 

Luis, Christian Tomás, José, Julio César Mondragón

 

was discovered the next morning

his eyes gouged out

the skin of his face

flayed to a bare skull.

 

Jhosivani, Tomás Marcos, Saúl, Jorge, Miguel Ángel,

 

The others were shot

then dumped into a burning pit

of gasoline, tires, wood, plastic.

The acrid smoke filled the night sky.

 

César, Jorge, José, Israel, Antonio, José Ángel

 

We turned them into dust and then

threw the remains in the water.

They will never find them,

one suspect bragged.

 

Leonel, Everardo, Doriam, Jorge, Marcial

 

Mexico smells like death.

Since I cannot bury you, my son,

I will continue to look for you,

sobbed the mother of

 

Benjamín, Christian, Luis, Miguel Ángel, Alexander

 

Their families

find no consolation.

They know the empty beds,

the empty chairs at the table.

 

Jorge, Abelardo, Cutberto, Bernardo, Israel

 

Breath of smoke.  Mouth of ash.

Grief has become

a dark cloud of anger.

It’s raining rage.

 

                        Mauricio, Martín, Magdaleno, Giovanni, José Luis, Jesús

 

Notes on Ayotzinapa

About the Poet

Don Cellini is a poet, translator and photographer. He is the translation editor for The Ofi Press.

http://doncellini.com/index.html