Brothers
As Florencio awaits his magic rocket
Floyd Collins watches from 55 feet
beneath Kentucky
a broken electric bulb by his side.
The terracotta miners in China
lay on their sides in the cold dark
eyes wide, staring.
In Sugar Notch, PA
an ancient miner rubs at his tearing eyes,
and can see nothing.
The capsule rises,
it’s odd path
and oblique trajectory suggesting flight.
The miners know better.
This is an earth bound ascension, a
ripping from stone
of what has already been taken.
In Kentucky, Floyd Collins moans.
He reaches out to touch his
electric bulb, it is so cold.
He strains to hear the voice of the lone reporter.
He hears only air and space and stone.
Florencio rises, begins to lift.
There is a hush.
In Kentucky, Floyd looks at Florencio
"Brother", he whispers, through the rock
and the years,
"Florencio, you are our Christ to be reborn!
I, too, was once Christ in the Tomb".
In China, terracotta eyes turn
mutely following.
In Pennsylvania, a miner mouths broken
words falling, cracking,
the scratching dust dark.
Florencio Avalos
ascends to heaven
today
in Copiabo, Chile,
13 October,
2010.
©kathryncollins2011
