Miguel Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Miguel

There, on the way to La Oroya
I stopped to visit Hauri…

Knew of the mines there
And the miners and Investors,
"They came with good news but
Like the USA of today,
Carried the poisonous flag of lies
And greed and abuse! "
Miguel told me
Of his bitter experience.

"Died our fish, sky and earth,
People got sick, had to immigrate
And the mountains lost their color,
Look at them, are bare…! " He said.

And I stayed over night,
In his café, on roadside,
Ate some small potatoes:
"This is the very first time
After many, many years."

He brought a bucket and set
By the racked woolly skins
In many layers, my bed,
After he had me covered.

"What is this for? "
I questioned.

"Freezing is outside
This is your toilet…"
He said to me in wonder
My eyes went wide open.

"In bucket? " I asked myself,
Shy to reply, felt ashamed.

But he was right…
Turned rainbow, my frozen urine…!