Happy New Year to our readers!
On October 29, 2024 intense rainfall in eastern Spain produced deadly and destructive flash floods in the province of Valencia. Literary Revelations decided to start the year with a poem in the memory of the victims of the pueblos around Valencia that were affected by the deadly floods.
Valencia by Gabriela Marie Milton and Francisco Bravo Cabrera.
Behind your face, my face appears
then yours comes behind the clarity of mine
Valencia, we were ninots in a falla burning in the night
Images of papier mâché
Silver bodies dancing through the smoke and smell of sandalwood
On our palms the blood of mandarins
we stretch our arms between blue heavens
and a small, bewildered olive tree.
Then all of us were taken by dark waters and by death
Beneath the earth
In graves that everyone could see
Inside gray places where long time ago
Satan locked my wedding dress using no key.
It’s morning love
And yellow balconies are open
the sandalwood, once humid and destroyed,
is now restored
The sentinel of light, the deacon of Sant Nicolau de Bari
arises from dark death to celebrate our kiss
to open our tombs
And with a cross
the two of us
revive the smell of mandarins,
and then dissolve into a sky that only us can see.
The cover photo of this video and the featured image belongs to Francisco Bravo Cabrera.
Thank you for listening and reading.
Lovely in all its aspects! Phenomenal work Gabriela! It was a pleasure and an honour collaborating with you on a poem so beautiful and meaningful. Thank you so much Gabriela for thinking of Valencia. A big hug from Valencia to you! 🌹🌹🌹
Gracias Francisco. Always a great pleasure to collaborate with you.
As it is for me too Gabriela. Gracias mil y un abrazo 🌼
Wonderfully thoughtful poem. Love the local references to further ground the poem in its location.
Thank you so much. I am glad you liked it.
Happy New Year!
A beautiful poem and collaboration Gabriela and Francisco honoring such tragedy!~
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A wonderful collaboration! 💖
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Lovely! Congratulations to both of you!
Thank you so much Dawn. Have a great day hon!
As all of your poetry, this one is filled with emotion and imagery. Congratulations to both of you on this fine creation.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart dearest Mary. I am humbled by your words.