by Tony Schanuel
Back to the Square
Memories of the forgotten cause bleed through
The happy masquerade of this festival,
If it is dangerous to shed tears now, I do it anyway,
Dreaming of exile and history, I look for a program
Beyond this revolutionary pantomime
The crowds are filled with survivors, they saw
The uprising unfold and marched for its promise,
Now they gather this afternoon
To celebrate the national manager as a savior,
I wonder what their children know
Officers cling like a second humidity, I try to think
Of nothing in case they can hear me,
Is this how the last residue of rebellion is drained?
They keep a distance, approving my irrelevance
While I buy crimson flavored ice
Ben Nardolilli is a theoretical MFA candidate at Long Island University. His work has appeared in Perigee Magazine, Door Is a Jar, The Delmarva Review, Red Fez, The Oklahoma Review, Quail Bell Magazine, and Slab. Follow his publishing journey at mirrorsponge.blogspot.com.
Tony Schanuel is an award-winning photographer and visual artist who has fused a professional background in photography, digital technology, painting and mark making to create fine art that transcends those mediums. His work has been featured in Digital Imaging Magazine, Computer Graphic Magazine, Wild Heart Journal, St. Louis Design Magazine, and is a featured artist in Cyber Palette and Extreme Graphics, two books showcasing digital artists and their work. He has exhibited at the Florence Biennale and his art is held in private and corporate collections including the Fine Arts Museum of Houston permanent photographic collection. http://www.schanuelphoto.com.