Images out of Latin America

Still Alive (El Salvador)

Introduction: long overdue is this poem. I lived through the 1980s (the war of El Salvador)) the Reagan years)); also, Vietnam (of which I was part of, in the seventies); and been to Central America twice. Once recently, and on the boarder of El Salvador. Thus, this is dedicated to the voices and echoes of the people of the l980s, and a long, very long war, one that lasted some 12-years; yes, longer than Vietnam.

There was no end to war it seemed
(back then…way back when)
A very long time ago…
So it seems.

The screams of the innocent, echoed:
Around the world, but only few heard;
(back then…way back when)
A very long time ago…
So it seems.

There was no place to hide— not in
The mountains, or in the trees, nor
Under the leaves (no place at all
) (back then…why back when)
A very long time ago…
So it seems.

The innocent lived in the eyes of:
Death, death, death!…
Day after day, after day
(as if there was no end)!..

Yet, somehow, some survived:
Amongst the rubble and insane
And the bloody smoke filled sky!!
(back then…why back when)
A very long time ago…
So it seems.

11/9/05 (written while in Lima)

A Note by Rosa: Here is a poem I never saw coming, but it was about six months ago we were on the boarder of El Salvador, and I know he has been thinking of going there; he couldn't (Dennis), make it in country last time, and we just got back from Bogota this time, I get the feeling he is thinking about El Salvador again, and going there next time; I think his writtings are rubbing off on me, especially after I read what I wrote, it sounds like him almost.

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

• Poems Out of Peru


• Poems Out of Bogotá


• In the Haunting Gloom of Twilight (the Devil at Dusk)


• Deathless Wings (The Beauty in Martinas Hands) - In English and Spanish


• An October Afternoon in Lima & The Wild-cats of the Nevados


• Read this Article if You Are Not Afraid of Bird Flu


• Federico Garcia Lorca


• Writing Science Poetry


• Thanks, Dad


• The Dead Earth! (a Poem in Two Parts)