There Is No San Lenín

i know there’s no blue prince
like the beast of the apocalypse removed

separated by mountain chains      lenín
is my revolution*      my destination

into the clouds     of his name
an all-ism forcing me into exile

lenín is thirst and craving
is the human man made true

        /\         /\         /\         /\

and what fat chance this
cumulus sundry sums a bold thing lofty

enough to break regimen      situated 
in the garden of theoretical significance

the gocho is wearing an unusual hat
el timotocuica is bright and shy

*because of his revolutionary activities
lenín is exempt from sainthood

Copyright © 2022 by Chip Livingston. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on November 10, 2022, by the Academy of American Poets.