"Four Martyrs"
They flew close to my beloved
Cuba
Three small planes
with patriotic brothers
Beneath blue skies
and above calm seas
On a humanitarian
mission for all to see.
Suddenly in international
airspace
Following the dictates
of the Beast
Infernal MIG warplanes,
fighters of death
Fired their missiles
without missing a breath.
Crumbling and crashing
to the sea,
Two small planes,
unarmed and free
Piloted by Cuban heroes.
They are: Mario,
Carlos, Armando and Pablo
Whose pouring blood
like the eternal flame
Lights the way to
Cuba’s freedom and Castro’s shame.
M A N U E L B L A N C O
February 24 - 1996