Disappeared (Unmarked Graves) by Juan Gelman

If the waves sweetly lapped over your head…
If the waves sweetly lapped over your head
of the one that leapt into the sea / what about the brothers
that they buried? / do their fingers sprout little leaves? / trees? / autumns
that defoliate them as if voiceless? / in silence
brothers recall the time
they were two three fingers from death / they smile
remembering / relieved still
as if they had not died / as if
Paco could still shine and Rodolfo still gaze
over everything forgotten that he used to drag
on his shoulder / with Harold examining his bitterness (always)
bringing out the ace of spades / his mouth to the wind /
aspired life / lives / his eyes gazed upon the terrible one /
now they are talking about when
luck was on their side / no one did kill / no one was killed / the enemy
was mocked and a little of the general humiliation
was retrieved / with bravery / with dreams / on the ground
with all the comrades / in silence /
melting into the January night /
still at last / totally alone / with no kisses

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Juan Gelman

Juan Gelman had the gift of being able to connect people to words. Mr. Gelman used words to speak truth to power. Juan Gelman used his poetry to combat a right-wing military dictatorship in Argentina. Read more about Mr. Gelman by clicking here.

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