Que Linda

Who doesn’t fall in love in Cuba? Except it was Cuba that I was in love with. A tremendous resource of soul shone forth from every face I met and my heart opened more at every turn.

Que Linda

Amongst the whistles and cat calls,
The gaudiness, the heat
And all the traffic, and the smell of septic
You stood there like a statuette,
A tiny smile, a cigarette
Beside you like a small candle burning.

You said, “Hola chiquita, como te llamas?
Te quiero, te amo, que rico, que linda.”

I felt my heart inside my chest,
Like a dog behind a fence:
It was leaning, it was trying to reach you.
As you spoke I turned away
To hide my tears but heard you say,
“No tiene pena. You can cry if you’re happy.”

“Hola chiquita, como te llamas?
Te quiero, te amo, que rico, que linda.”

I remember I took off my shoes
To feel the red earth, to walk with you
In the afternoon, in the rain & the thunder
In the calle in the night,
You danced with me and your eyes were bright
And laughing, and so full of wonder

You said, “Hola chiquita, como te llamas?
Te quiero, te amo, que rico, que linda.”

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