Poet's love - The long journey to Cuidad Juarez.

A new chapter

                            The Poet's The Poet's love-  The long journey to Cuidad Juarez begin.

The five old friends sat together. The people of Trujillo were drinking, dancing and having great fun near. Lawrence didn't tell them the reason for the Festival this night. He told them. A night to celebrating life and a grand wedding. Johnnie loved the people of Trujillo. They treated him like a lost son. He made many good friends in the city.  He assisted many with their businesses and ensured the Church had enough money to help the homeless children. He knew they must wait a month. The paperwork of marriage even with the new tech would take some time. He told Paloma.  We won't leave till your name is my name and I know you will be safe. She understood. He was in good spirit tonight. Lawrence did some testing. He told him. The cancer was dormant. The cancer is still in you. Just resting. I don't know for how long. Elena herbal medicine is stalling the cancer. Giving your body the strength to fight back. You may live a year or maybe a week?

Paloma took his hand and she whispered in his ear. thirty years of dating and you shall make me a honest woman? He turned to her. Yes my love, my dear, my sweet and I know. Good things take time and you are worth the wait. Leo smiled and he got-up and brought Elena to him. He told them. Time for us to dance, sing and make wild love. The Golf of Mexico demand payment. A dance for her or a hurricane for us. Johnnie and Paloma got-up and the two couples wandered to the dancing people on the beach. Lawrence sat alone and he did a silence prayer. Please god of life and death. Let us survive the hard days coming. Please allow Johnnie to die at Port Austin. Home is where he can know peace finally.

The Priest demanded quiet from the 300 Trujillo men, women and children on the beach. They obeyed  Juan with a proper silence. He told the gathering. Tonight we combine two lives as one. Tonight we combine two people into a permanent place in the eyes of God. We are blessed by the warm night and the kind sea. Tonight Johnnie and Paloma will be blessed by God and swear to love till death take. Johnnie, do you take Paloma to love and hold  till death do you part. Johnnie smiled and he said. I do. Dear Paloma, do you take Johnnie to love and hold till death do you part. Paloma with tears flowing. She said. I do. Johnnie put on her ring of gold on her tender finger and she put on a ring of gold on his finger. The priest raised his hands and he told the people. Tonight we joined two people and Johnnie, Paloma. You are marry in the eyes of God.

Paloma and Johnnie left the beach and they went to the motel room. Lawrence and Leo had bought some Spain wine and left many flowers in the room. She asked him. You know we must go to Cuidad Juarez. Not Mexico city. He smiled and he told her. I know. I went to the her site in Cuidad Juarez.  She isn't forgotten. She was stole from us by violence and people like us. Must keep her alive. We will leave as soon as the documents show-up. I pray Elena's  herbal cures keep working. We have a long and hard trip. I made plans for us to see many places. We will stop in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala for a meal, visit Dangriga and Belmopan in Belize and drive across Mexico till we reach Cuidad Juarez. It will take two months till we reach Houston. Houston to Detroit and final road trip to Port Austin. She looked sad and she questioned him. Can you survive his journey? He smiled and he brought her near and he sang.

"Dear Paloma, you and I. Wandering Gypsies. You are my song, my love, my muse. The Poet's love.
You and I.
Fearless and brave.
With you near. Death shall stay at bay."

The month went quickly. She saw some improvement in Johnnie. He was walking better and he was writing again. Elena came four times daily. Force down a ounce of cat claw twice a day to him. She served him  the graviola soup and the Buckhorn tea with every meal. She didn't allow him to have coffee. She told him. Coffee takes more than she gives. Lawrence did weekly testing. The gastric cancer was present and stable. He went to them and he told them. The paperwork is here. Tomorrow we leave for Guatemala.  My good friend Doctor Roberto had a medical center in Puerto Barrios. We will rest a few days and leave for Belize. Belize is the safest entrance for us.  The border guards are few and the roads are open to Mexico. We shall go quietly into Mexico. Do what we must do and to Houston. Paloma went to Lawrence and she gave him a hard and warm hug. She whispered to him. You are my blessing and my friend.



Leo rush-in and he told them. The painting is done. Lawrence told him. Please God, I hope so. You made us sit in the hot sun for weeks. I hope we are a masterpiece? Leo took then to his private studio in the city of Trujillo. Paloma started to cry. Leo had painted twenty paintings of them. Each one different and so beautiful. She went to Leo and she whispered. You are my brave painter. I love you. I thank you for saving my life twice and I did nothing for you. Leo held her tighter and he told her. You made the weak man, the quiet painter come alive. You are my muse. You made me strong and brave. I love you dear Paloma.

In the early morning. Four a.m. A loaded truck left Trujillo. Johnnie held Paloma hand tightly as the bay and Trujillo disappeared in the distance. He knew.  He would never see the city again.

                           John Castellenas/Coyote




 











Susana Castillo Chavez  poem.---

Author's Note

A new chapter.

Reviews

[poetgurl (Plainly Meg)]

WOW! The pics you use help too with visuals. Your vivid imagery and descriptiveness helps too. I like the translation part as well at the end.

She served him the graviola soup and the Buckhorn tea with every meal....not sure what kind of soup that is or tea, but I am enjoying your story. I am into it and that is good, I am not a story reader.

[Coyote Poetry]

Graviola soup and Buckhorn. Natural cure for cancer. If caught early. Thank you dear Poet for reading and the comment.

[poetgurl (Plainly Meg)]

not a problem I am enjoying it.

[Dave]

Okay - you are forgiven I carried on. I so much enjoy your writing.

Take care - Dave

[Rye]

not too much will fight cancer, Cancer is a gene we all hold, it may not be dominant but it is there. Kinda like diabetes, we all have those genes, some just have the right vitamins and minerals in their body to fight off the cells, others do not. Cancer takes away our vital organs slowly, nothing pretty ever came from cancer, and cannabis doesn't really help, it just puts it at a rest for now, but it will come back and attack you even deeper. Some think it's a cure, but it's not. There is no right cure. I don't care what people say either. I know at first hand. Chemo all is does is makes you weaker. I don't rely on drugs, they are just protectors of the truth. When it's my time to go it's my time. I don't live on what doctors say and believe. My body knows what and when I will go. How ever am enjoying this story of yours. I don't know who the woman is thought I have never heard of her.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading my friend and I appreciate your time. Susana Castillo Chavez. A poet who was killed for standing-up for the young Mexican women on the border.

[Neville]

So blooming sad but so blooming glad I found these chapters Coyote. I shall probably be compelled to re-visit them all again, just to see what I might find the next time. I congratulate you sir on what is a great literary achievement and nothing short of a real tribute to Susana Castillo Chavez......All Good Things, Neville

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Neville. I appreciate your kind words.

[Neville]

No problem, my pleasure entirely

[John Alexander McFadyen]

You certainly know how to mix the bitter sweet in your writes Coyote. A lovely, romantic but sad tale indeed! Your characters always come alive.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you John. I appreciate your time.