This is a Guest Post by my parents Mira and Aleksandar:
In San Isidoro de Holguín, on the north shore of Cuba, better known as “The City of Squares”, on the beloved and worshiped “La Periquera” square and inside the Cathedral of San Isidoro, we meet a very special person. Speaking eloquent English, almost without an accent, he asked us if we wanted to know more about this old and important church and the city itself.
We were more interested to find out about him. “Oh, I am an English teacher” he said.
And when we asked if he lived or travelled abroad in order to speak so fluently, his response was quick, and humbling: “Yes. I’ve travelled a lot. In my imagination.”
This interesting man turned out to be a poet, patiently looking for an audience, and so he found one in us. Right then and there, he recited his latest poem for us in English and to our amazement proceeded to hurriedly scribble it down, on a piece of scrap paper borrowed from a parishioner. And so we are compelled to pass it on to you:
BEYOND THE STARS
As fast as the light
to reach regions beyond the stars
this way we need a flight
without having to stop on Mars.
How can we do that?
If space is like a big map
a star looks like a tiny dot,
actually there is a huge gap.
We need a new invention
that helps us find an unknown world
but science needs more imagination
then there will be a new word.
Perhaps we will find a hole
and by using light from the stars
it could help us attain our goal
of putting ignorance behind bars.
—Reymundo Desdin Toro. December 27, 2012. Banes, Holguín, Cuba
His address is available for anyone wishing to write to him. He is eager to reach out beyond the physical and sociological borders of Cuba.
