My Red Veil Poem by Louie Vizcarra

A one man horse riding one man
I hold my head up, hide my tears behind my red veil
mumbling "fricativa, oclusiva"
"there is no trade for your price"
repeating something to distract me
anything to keep me occupied
I want to weep, but smile instead
while everything grows dull and cold.
I tried so hard to be your friend, burning to be your lover.
What ends with trouble always starts with a grin
and now I love then hate then love you again.
Hiding in my cave
I see him in the entrance so I jump up
so I can shake his hand, hug him, tell him of my pain
my troubles, my fears, he left me behind
even though its just a shadow
and my mouth is just an empty, mute hole.
This red veil I wear everyday is my shell
my shelter, my happy. I put it on and smile
and try to remember that I'm a warrior
but then forget, and fight to remember what I really am.
I put my hand to my work and slave away, because
this deep sadness and pain of life
shall surely pass me by.
Let me just keep on my blue horse, riding along with
my red veil on,
and hide my tears behind happy green eyes.