quote unquote

Let's Cut the Bullshit

In Chile we have never had democracy 
And never will:

They are all dictatorships, my dear friend
The only thing that we're allowed
Is to elect
Between their dictatorship & ours

Lenin was damn right:
Go on being poor & honest, ol' pal
Just don't be an asshole

--nicanor parra, antitranslated by liz werner [antipoems: how to look great & feel better; new directions, 2004] [i might've posted this poem before but in present light it seems appropriate to post it again]