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Bilbao revolutionary assembly - an eyewitness account

eyewitness | 22.05.2011 10:10 | Culture | Free Spaces | Social Struggles | World

An eyewitness account of the revolutionary assembly now taking place in Bilbao. No apologies for writing the account in the form of a poem, this is just the way it happened. I read this last night in the assembly (I was very nervous, there were thousands of people there.)

Testimonio de un testigo presencial de la asamblea revolucionario actualmente pasando en Bilbao. No pido disculpas por presentarlo en forma de poesía, así es como ocurrió. Leí esto anoche en la asamblea (estaba muy nervioso, había miles de personas ahí.)

On our way to the revolution
-------------------------------------

On our way to the revolution
we stopped at IKEA
for spatulas, orchids and wild-caught salmon
The children frolicked knee-deep in giant blueberries
while we talked carefully over free love and coffee.

On our way to the revolution
we had to go home first
to trim my beard and your bikini line
in case of arrest or hospitalisation.
There were bike tyres to pump up
and asking the neighbour to baby-sit.

On our way to the revolution
in the streets the people were oblivious:
waiting for the green man,
dressed up for a wedding.
I saw the Queen of Hearts
and a girl with a heart-shaped lollipop
as big as her heart.

When we got to the revolution
there were so many people, we couldn't find it.
They had taken the streets but didn't know where to take them,
so they sat down and waited to applaud a microphone.
I met an old revolutionary who told me he was off for a beer,
hoping they'd get on with the revolution and save him the work.

I wandered into a thicket of ideas on paper,
prayer flags fluttering in open minds.
A friend expecting his first child
thought they should turn them into a new political party
But I didn't see how to fit
a forest into a filing cabinet.

Everyone seemed happy looking for the revolution
Between the fire-juggler and the tightrope-walker,
Above the clouds or beneath the cobblestones
Tell me if you find the revolution.

21 May 2011, Arriaga, Bilbao



De camino hacia la revolución
----------------------------------------

De camino hacia la revolución
paramos en IKEA
para comprar espátulas, orquídeas y salmón salvaje.
Los niños jugueteaban hasta las rodillas en arándanos gigantes
mientras nosotros hablábamos cuidadosamente
de amor libre y tomábamos café.

De camino hacia la revolución
tuvimos que pasar por casa
para recortar mi barba y tu línea de biquini
en caso de detención u hospitalización.
Había que inflar las ruedas de las bicis
y pedir a la vecina hacer de canguro.

De camino hacia la revolución
por las calles la gente estaba ensimismada,
esperando al hombrecillo verde,
vestidos de boda.
Vi a la Reina de Corazones
y a una chica con una piruleta en forma de corazón
tan grande como su corazón.

Cuando llegamos a la revolución
había tanta gente que no la pudimos encontrar.
Habían tomado la calle pero no sabían donde llevarla,
así que se sentaron y esperaron para aplaudir a un micrófono.
Me encontré con un antiguo revolucionario
que me dijo que se iba a tomar una cerveza,
esperando que empezaran con la revolución
para que él tuviera menos trabajo.

Entré en un bosque de ideas en papel,
banderas de oración que ondeaban en mentes abiertas.
Un amigo esperando su primer hijo
pensaba que deberían convertirlas en un nuevo partido político,
Pero yo no sabía cómo meter
un bosque en un armario de archivos.

Todo el mundo parecía contento buscando la revolución
Entre el malabarista de fuego y el equilibrista,
Arriba de las nubes o debajo de los adoquines
Dime si encuentras la revolución.


21 mayo 2011, Arriaga, Bilbao



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