memoirs of a pianist.

no capital letters on this Side

no capital. capitalized my name
my name is my shield not my weapon

Cuba esta libre. Yo soy libre.

no capital letters on this Side
but the A in America stands for
Alzheimer. Alzheimer is a weapon

not a shield. my name is the knight

our people escaped in the night without
protection but dreams they were plenty

Cuba's ocean, a weapon not a shield

our very own waters have drowned us
our children, how they swam without lesson
concealing the ocean's purity, tears
invisible. adding to the weapon

separation of womb. mothers aboard
but drowning in their own sorrow
as they approach the golden promise land
with a stubborn, white gold shield

Cuba is a weapon made of copper

set up to fail. set up to sail
set up to sell this cocaine, Guajiro

we are all weapons manifested
in the land of forgetfulness

no capital letters on this side
but the time we serve serves capital

Capitalism watches from the Capitol.
suppressing ourselves, we are all weapons
mass destruction and self corruption, we

acknowledge the efforts of an
infinite shield made of white gold

dusted but found no prints, just Cubans

hungry but found no food, just sugar canes

the scent of freedom is always sweet
but the blind have been chosen to lead

our name, the price of freedom. Libertad
the price of our false dreams. American


95 slaves in line working to die
9 to 5 we slave in line waiting to
wake up and see where parallel lines meet

I woke up screaming Libertad

Cuba esta libre pero mi gente, no.