For the English Readers

Knowing that I will have some of you browsing in my space, I thought it was better for me to write a few words for you in English. Thanks to the Alaska Writers Guild for giving me the opportunity of being part of that growing cultural group. Some more information about my work at: marcoscabrera2006.blogspot.com.

I was born in Dominican Republic but since 1964, I am part of this country. I am a veteran of the Vietnam War and also a military retiree. Love poetry and love writing as a whole, plus I am doing it in English and Spanish. Though I stil feel more confortable writing in my native language. I published a book of Hispanic poetry in 1993 and I have one in English poetry coming out in about four weeks or so. Still, the bulk of my work is in the back burner. In the Hispanic market I am pushing for a movement that I called "The New Poetry". Since the begining of this year I have been publishing articles and poetry in the Dominican Republic newspapers and I am keeping in touch with some active writers from there. At the end of this month a poetry contest is being held in Madrid, Spain, where thousands of writers are participating from just about every Spanish speaking country. A book will follow after the contest I believe with the best 300 pieces of poetry, and I should make the cut.

My new concept is base on a maze that most readers of poetry are confronted with even though they may not know about it: Are we writing "poems or poetry" and are we writing "for us or for the readers". I think that if we writers can pull together and help each other with constructive arguments and critiques, and with ways to get our thoughts to the hands of the people, we wil move forward and our culture will move forward also. Here is an example of my poetry from my book "Maze", coming out soon:

Maze

Our world. How beautiful it can be!
From nature the awesome colors and grace
though the air waved amid land and sea
the nations balance could easily faze.

The cities are covered with a harmful haze
seeding poison in our bodies and minds,
a serious maze for the human race
which in midst of the path seems to be blind.

As it is, we do no value our lives
but the commodities we may can get
until we see that there is not more time
and our agenda is fixing to end.

Life is not a game, deter all your bets
and your days may shine until the sunsets.


Details

I wish I know what's happening to me.
I take good care of all my refection
but seems like there is something that can't be
an obstruction or lack of perfection.

My brain feels like it has a winter knot
transforming my thoughts into icecles
and down below, somewhere my guts
are spread out into many particles.

Maybe I need to stop, not to aspire
to be what for me might be unbidden.
Though, how can I cease to seek a fire
that to my heart cannot be forbidden?

All these problems of living is a maze,
small details that we have to face.


Immigrants

From many places we all come
to this land of the free;
in our hearts a far away love,
in our minds a new dream.

The seas and walls we left behind
without halting our fate
searching for some sort of new life
men and women the same.

The spoken words does not end
our wants for here to be;
some other culture soon we learn
to get us past that hill.

The goal to locate a fair job
seems like an easy task,
we are not afraid of the muck
of people with a mask.

The time pass and we grow taller
growing roots like the trees,
in new land our sons and daughters
seeding human spree.

To that one nation that once was
our primary concern
is a perhaps for some of us...
We will never return.

Maybe with many question marks
buried into our soul
our searching wings have gone too far,
there is not other thought.

To this land we have come to be
cold ashes or infernal flames
to share and support the needs
yours and ours, the same.


This next one was awarded the Editor's Choice Award for outstanding achievement in poetry presented by the International Library of Poetry and Poetry.com, November 2005. Also published on the first page of their book "Twilight Musings".


Let it be

God! What's up now?
Do you think that she is here to stay?
Or, from one moment to another,
will she go away?

Tell me God, about tomorrow,
about the intangible secrets of life...
Without a goal deep and clear
every dream is too far.

God! Let it be
is not just the fire of a kiss,
it is true God, it is love...
Let it be, let it be, let it be.