Roque Dalton's
THERAPEUTICS
Translated from the Spanish
by Jonathan Cohen

The writers prepared a deadly book
for the Honorable President of the Republic.

The President of the Republic inspects
his dagger collection and quotes Pythagoras.

The Honorable President of the Republic
needs a crowbar to get the business at hand going.

The writers have lice.

The Honorable President of the Republic wishes
to kill the lice crawling on the writers
by stabbing them.

The writers flee to a foreign country:
their shaven heads gleam in the moonlight
used to cross the border.

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