Spirit Heroes On the Wall Poem by Dandelion De La Rue

 

Spirit Heroes on the Wall

 

Another hero

dead and gone

200 years

before I met him

met his gaze

a portrait on

the museum wall

his eyes

so bold

so sad.

 

Do I know you

Juan Jose?

I feel as though I

know you

very well.

 

Have I met

your restless spirit

in a dream?

Dead heroes sometimes

come and go

or so they say

surprising those who

thought them

ordinary.

Appearing, and then

disappearing

back into the mists.

 

If once I knew you

Juan Jose,

I hope that

I was brave enough

to be your friend.

 

Juan Jose Rondon, is the guys name, the one who I THINK the picture is of.  I googled him and everything is in Spanish, but I THINK he was in a calvary, for the rebels (Bolivar, trying to get rid of Spain).  He’d originally been Venezuelan, son of slaves, and joined the Spanish army, but didn’t like the Spanish, thought they were cruel, so he took off and joined the rebels in Colombia.  Anyway, Bolivar was losing a big battle, and all would be lost, when Juan Jose said, why haven’t you asked us to help?  and Bolivar said, “Go then, and save the country!”  So Juan Jose yelled “Those who are brave, follow me!”  and 9 guys followed him, and they won, and saved the day for the good guys.  I think before the battle, he and his friends were taking care of the horses or something.

dandelion de la rue  June 18, 2012  Bogota’