Simón
His ID card read Simón José Antonio
de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios
Ponte-Andrade y Blanco,
thus, he must have been a hell of a sire.
And with a résumé like
Liberator of Bolivia and Colombia,
Panamá, Peru, and toss in Venezuela,
no doubt his conquests still inspire.
His bronzed statues on horseback, right sword in hand
charge the streets from D.C. to New York
and Tehran to Berlin,
yet today, hardly anyone knows why.
The French aristocrat Lafayette, a fighter of the Rev War,
at the request of Washington’s family
sent Simón a portrait of Father George,
his locket of hair,
a gold medal with his likeness,
bonding the revolutionaries by fare.
Legends of a continental divide.
Author’s note: This poem looks at the ubiquity of a bronze equestrian sculpture representing Latin American military general Simón Bolivar, representing liberation from Spanish domination. It effectively captures the grandeur and historical significance of Simón Bolívar, weaving together his impressive name, achievements, and legacy in a thoughtful and rhythmic way.
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
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