La Preguntona
Inti-Illimani
The Inquisitive One
Where's Higinio Muna
thunder and lightning cowboy
who took down foes on horseback
under his lucky star
until the moon bent him.
Where did Rosa Cuecho go
in her yellow bloomers
who used to strap down her chest
until she curled up tight
against the glare of a knife.
What was the anchor
that twisted the rivers
that handled the troubles
of the cross and the courage
of those who spun with cold
the shroud for their journey.
What happened to Ascanio Zarzalla
who tied a cloud to a dream
welded the dream to his cannon
and the cannon to his resolve
until he ran out of guts.
Did they kill Balbina
with a profane pulse
who with threads of mist
and a needle in each hand
stitched her rage to the local man.
But who sings the light
but who fills the shadow
don't ask, Inquisitive One,
that there was blood spilled
behind so many raised stories,
behind so much land and fog.
