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(movement poem)

by Maria Poblet
San Francisco, California

give me a movement that moves
when the wounded stop weeping
and strike back
the woman on capp and 16th no longer dances
to the thump of cocaine in her veins
instead learns the rhythm of marching
and the once dealers of her chemical amnesia
distribute protest flyers
convincing the crowd at the bus stop to stop waiting and start moving
a movement that moves
where barbed wire unravels
cops run stumbling from fifteen year old boys
mothers force the mayor to resign
grandmothers hail the jesus of sandino
naming wicked those who make poverty
and blessed the poor
a movement that moves
where we all cut up our drivers licenses
burn our birth certificates
in solidarity with undocumented immigrants and transexuals
a movement that moves
where we stage an occupation of both sides of the border
that no landlord can buy or bully us out of
a movement that moves
where mops and bricks lay idle on the floor
while workers flood the street with songs and stomping
and demands too big for any CEO to meet
give me a movement
where the wounded stop weeping
and strike back
a movement that
moves us
all

About the poet: María Poblet is a queer Latina poet. She has studied poetry under the direction of June Jordan and Martín Espada. She served as Artistic Director of June Jordan's Poetry for the People, and taught poetry workshops at Mission Cultural Center, FCI Dublin Women's Prison, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Her work has been featured in the SF Weekly, Revolutionary Voices, and the Street Sheet. She has been a community organizer in San Francisco’s mission district since 1999, fighting for immigrant Latino tenants’ rights. She agrees with Cape Verdian revolutionary Amilcar Cabral that culture is a weapon in the fight for freedom, and can often be found reading poetry through a bullhorn.

Published in In Motion Magazine February 10, 2008

Also see:

  • Brukman
    by Maria Poblet
    San Francisco, California


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