Nicaragua: Poem
By Tonya Donahue
LASP Spring 2004 Newsletter



Spinning in circles,
Don't know what to think
Paradoxes everywhere
Slamming into me
One after another
"Obras...no palabras"
The signs say
What actions?
All I see are words
And homelessness
Poverty and naked little boys
Playing in the streets
"The land of lakes"
But there is only water
In the rainy season
Turn away--can't take anymore
And all there is to see
Are houses with maids
And outhouses
No running water
And cable TV
Materialism
In a land of nothing
Crumbling buildings
And smiling politicians
Look in another direction
And see tourism directed
At the United States
The very country
That made them poor
A fourth direction
Crosses everywhere
Amongst the suffering
Where is God?
Feeling so close
But feeling so far
And then i see
The most generous people
Are the most poor
Giving all they have
To make me more--
More comfortable
More whatever-
They just give
And they smile
Their sun-cracked faces
Reflect hope and love
In their suffering
While their eyes
Their big brown eyes
Hide destitution
And fear
I'll never forget
My glimpse into them
Just as I'll never forget
My trip--
The worst
Saddest
Most beautiful thing
That ever happened to me