For Jorge Brandon

--“El Coco Que Habla,” 1902-1995

Before the Beginning of Time

When you could rhyme Sublime with Sublime

Because Because was a gag

In the mouth, a laughing flag

In the Land where the Coconuts Talked

Where to move was to dance was to walk

Where sing would answer seek

There Jorge stayed up all week

To catalog the Beginning of the Scene

That was the Neverending Dream

"Nevermore!" he cackled to Poe

“Wheelbarrows!” to Williams he'd flow

And the Sun's horizon was rising and falling

In oceanic frenzy and crawling

Sandy beaches were deserts becoming

Birds of No Feather were buzzily humming

He ennumerated the words

The syllables became birds

Off he flew to the Promised Land

Borincua grew a palm in his hand

His vision was his voice

Your ears had to rejoice

He'd wickedly splinter

            the meaning of center

Into atoms of busted dust

            and rust and trust

Padre Jorge the Master of Sound

The creation of sidewalks the streets surround

The conductor of trains to reality's brains

The wheelchair of dictionary aeroplanes

This quivering quaver

            Piraguero's flavor....

A friend of mines interviewed

Stopped late at Jorge's stoop

The world was Jorge's stoop

Life was Jorge's loop

He circled the block many times

His cries would always rhyme

The patron Saint of the Barrio

The Oldest New Age Jibaro

We cry now on your bier

We thought you would always be here

Your poems are spread over Loisaida

Miky Bimbo beside beside

The poems don't stop Jorge

You did not die yesterday

Roberto Clemente hits home runs

Jorge Brandon the World's Greatest Poem

Wherever I go you have been

I see you there always again