Poso Wells by GABRIELA ALEMÁN

Author:GABRIELA ALEMÁN
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: City Lights Publishers

VIII

The Spur

“Let’s see what we’ve got here,” Varas began.

Some say they’re free because no one controls them.

When I’m told of horses with no owners, I think of their riders.

Whoever nails your shoe and cinches your saddle

Has a rider on his back with a sharp-spurred boot.

“You want to explain that to me?”

“Explain what?” Benito looked up from the book he was reading

“Why this isn’t published. And why the paper is torn and damp and has a soda bottle stain.”

Benito shrugged and went on reading. After a minute he answered.

“Because we ran out of beer, the only thing in your pinche fridge is a quart bottle of flat Coca-Cola, there aren’t any napkins, and I didn’t want to stain the wood of your favorite table.”

“Not my favorite, güey, my only one.”

Varas crossed the room and sat down on the floor facing his friend, who was sprawled face down on the couch.

“Can I ask what it is you’re writing?”

“A book of aphorisms.”

“And that’ll put food on the table?”

“I’m pitching some editors the idea that aphorisms are about to be the flavor of the month. Flash fiction is done, aphorisms are next. They’re the germ that produces everything else: story, plot, dialogue, characters. Condensed information for people in a hurry. And, another hook, no royalties to pay. Tell me how these sound to you:

“Not even a cannonball in your face could wake you up,/if you’re the calculated result of instantaneous repetition.

“I regret trading cinnamon for a shell with no smell.”

“Still starry-eyed at thirty? An idiot disguised as a mule.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.