A Spanish Apocalypse Poem by guillermo veloso

Born of grey froth and
Brought forth
Baptized in the sea
Prodigal son

Christened in the spit
Of the sea
With a glass of wine and the
Brine of blue-black mussels

Heeding the poet's cry
Through hidden nights
Dirges that echo through
Narrow cobble stoned streets and patina stained lamps

Dusty La Mancha beckons
Her mountains bursting through
Impossibly blue skies
Picasso blue

Toledo steel and lace
Smell of sheep and cheese
Citadels that stand against time
Fiestas that scream for the blood of Christ

Flamenco smolders in
Andalucía; it burns
The guitar is a gypsy siren that
Calls us to founder on the
Rocky shoals of our soul

She dances on fire
Castanets are crickets in the dark
The floor is engulfed in flame and passion
My sweat cannot quench it

From Pyrenees-perched Euskadi
Hidden from our view
To an ancient sea swimming with ship wrecked ghosts
She is there revealed
In desire
In never ending centuries

We are two and
We are one
Destined to meet
But never touch