Here is a poem for Carlos Ramirez, who is in dire sickness. He was one of the founders of the “Poetry Hotel”, a hotel of the imagination serving the real poet community of the San Francisco Bay Area. Carlos has been hospitalized since mid February and now in the ICU. May blessings be upon him.
Langston Was Found
Langston was found in El Salvador
great big frosty beard
discovered on the library shelf
Langston, Langston Hughes
dances in schoolyards, they called him
Santa Claus
silver liquid drops, he loved the rain.
Pete Seeger was found in Dolores Park
white sleeveless undershirt
Mime Troupe on the Fourth of July
Pete held his arms up
turned turned turned
sun on his brown skin
sun in his brown eyes.
El Poeta de la Treinta
shy in front of the midwife
she penciled a question mark
a spark, a mite
each leaf a time.
“Carlos, Carlos
don’t be afraid.”
He came out
who-ooo, who-ooo
swore not to grow up
El Zipote
met an angel
rolling down the slope
pushing an ice cream truck.
*
Notes:
“silver liquid drops” April Rain Song by Langston Hughes.
Carlos named himself “El Poeta de la Treinta” in his book, My Heart in the Matter.
Photo credit: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle
Love you Carlos! Love you very much.
Lovely tribute to Carlos, Clara. You didn’t mention his singing–spontaneous and heart felt.
it’s a terrible thing
when a songbird dies
or even when a songbird is in danger
of dying
because the song
dies too
because the song
dies too
Seeing his picture here reminded me of the time Carlos heard me read (at Clara’s) and he was singing along with my poem “Hoop of the World,” which also has some sung sections. That beautiful open face full of spiritual love beaming up at me, I didn’t see how he could have possibly known the song but I think he was just tuning into it on some unconscious, or collective psychic level. He was gettin’ it, no doubt about that and I was happy to have him there with me. I recognized a beautiful spirit in that man. So sorry to hear of his declining health. I hadn’t gotten to know him well yet. Wish I had.
The first time I met Carlos was at Sacred Grounds. As he entered the room, the sun came out, bright beams across the space, forming a halo about him. “Carlos”, I said, “did the room just get brighter when you walked in, or is the sun shining because you are here?”
He smiled back “It’s just the reflection from you!” Such a dear man.