In the style of Amado Nervo

Photograph by Sergio A. Ortiz

In the style of Amado Nervo

I must defend José Lezama Lima

from the hate in the trenches.

Defend him from scandal

and derision, censorship and censors

transient sensations

and conclusive impressions

Defend Lezema Lima from astonishment

and a kicks-in-the-ass

from the disinterested and the neurotic

harsh infamies

and clumsy diagnosis

Defend him with a howl 

and the hubbub of the mills

from the walls, the embarrassments

and heavenly places

from blasphemy and Academia

To defend him from hate is a certainty

defend him from neighbors and quarrels

lavish time machines

drought and relativism

optimistic literati

To defend José Lezama Lima is a right

defend him from God and from the hell

of majuscules and luck

stiff-necks and influxes

of the azure

and hatred