Theatre of the Stones that Ran (Fontao, 1943) Poem by Erin Mouré

At night in the valley of penedos erguidos
a glint of wolfram

the uncles' job at night
to touch the glint of wolfram

wolfram brought riches for all in Fontao
they all had jobs then in Fontao
even the prisoners worked in Fontao
the garrison eyed everyone

there was only the night left

The uncles mined the glint in the river course
and stood up in the water
at night they worked each with small hands of xeo
and stood up in the water
climbed out of the river with the wolfram

penedos erguidos
human uncles, tiny

and they ran


for M.I