by Alberto O. Cappas
I am back to the belly of the beast
welcomed by unemployed CEOs
standing on the avenue of San Juan
a torch passed from father to son
a pension without footprints.
A twilight zone
held together by good performers
inside a Trojan horse
They come
they go
with politics and cameras
an illusion of brightness to capture the loyalty without notice.
I live in a colony of diversity tainted by caciques
patrolling the highway
on Virginia Street
an overdose of outside profit linked to inside construction surrounded
by wolves on the Lower West Side.
They come in the summer to secure their investment
making guest appearances
attending funerals
sponsored by Goya Foods.
They go back in the winter to enjoy
the fruits of their conquest.
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ABOUT THE POET ~
Puerto Rican poet, publisher, community activist; born in Puerto Rico, raised in New York City. Alberto is the publisher of "Dona Julia", a collection of poems; his most recent publication: "Back to the Twilight Zone, A Puerto Rican Colony in Buffalo, NY", published by Buffalo Latino Village. Alberto is the writer of the well-known, The Educational Pledge (La Promesa Educacional), widely used in public schools. Alberto is also the publisher of the East Harlem Journal, a monthly platform addressing arts, culture, and politics in East Harlem.
