Dressing for the revolution

 

Señora, excuse me…

But I wanted to ask you…

If you could teach me how to dress for the revolution?

 

Emma,

Xicanita de San Antonito,

Strength in fist

And rippling effect

In a crowd's heart

There was no stopping your evolutionary mass movement.

Such a small body

To put men of great wealth

Into a fearful state

I want to wear your black and white dress in front of some steel bars

I want to wear your hair slicked back and ready for unionizing wars

I want to wear your determination

I want to wear your eyes that speak of an inner revolutionary mind fold

I want to wear the revolution como la mas chingona

I want to wear the revolution like Emma Tenayuca

 

Señora, excuse me…

But I wanted to ask you…

If you could teach me how to dress for the revolution?

 

Minerva,

Maria Teresa,

And Patria,

Las tres mariposas of the Dominican Republic

Solid stance against an unspeakable brutality

Beaten into the arms of death

By the cold, human-less hands of Trujillo

I want to wear your wings so that I can spread revolution from the air

I want to wear your resistant rags in the cell that was meant to strip you of your fever

I want to wear your irrepressible spirit even with the lives of your sisters at your side

I want to wear the revolution como las mariposas

I want to wear the revolution like the Maribel sisters

 

Señora, excuse me…

But I wanted to ask you…

If you could teach me how to dress for the revolution?