Today's Plena

SIxteen times he thrust the knife
on the street
the two kids watching

which hungry god devoured her pulsing heart?

in El Barrio the tale travels
like a plena
the drum of voices
thrums the throat of streets
wails between the gouged buildings
mouths with no teeth

she was doa
she had been unfaithful
he turned himself in at three am

today's plena
tomorrow it will be another

in the belly of the beast
we do not know we're at war
but we kill
we have our Contras inside us

when is our day going to come
to light the sun?to rejoice?

we are the last domino