Like A Dead Spanish Hero

Sweezus develops a cramp. He comes out of the water.

Uhh, says Sweezus. Got a cramp.

Sit down, says Maria Goyri. You are a young person and we are speaking of contemporary things.

Sick, says Sweezus. I'm thirty three. What contemporary things?

Peace and justice, says Maria Goyri. The importance of family.

Rocket boots, adds Vello.

How good would they be! says Sweezus.

Useless, says David.

Peace and justice, or rocket boots? says Vello.

He is pleased with this question.

Maria Goyri is not. She thinks it a French sort of question.

What has happened to the other philosophers? she asks. You mentioned Santayana, and Ortega y Gasset.

Those guys! says Sweezus. We met them, back in Pineda de Mar.

Did you indeed? says Schopenhauer. How were they doing?

Okay, says Sweezus, until Arthur knifed them by accident. Don't know where they went after that. It was one of those crazy nights. I slept on the beach. Arthur went off with some guy to get given a present.

Arthur cut them! says Schopenhauer, not listening to the rest of the story.

Accidentally, says Sweezus. They were defending the girls.

My girls? From Arthur? says Vello.

If I remember correctly, says David, Sweezus gave Arthur the knife.

Everyone looks severely at Sweezus.

Arthur comes up, dripping salt water.

Anything to eat? says Arthur.

I have some oranges, says Maria Goyri. Sit down beside me, and I'll give you the best one.

Thanks, says Arthur, sitting down beside Maria Goyri.

I hear you are a poet, says Maria Goyri. Ramon and I, we have a great love for our language. We spent our lives collecting and translating the great Spanish Ballads.

Where's my orange? says Arthur.

She gives him her best one. Arthur cuts off the skin with his knife.

Spanish Ballads, says Arthur, breaking his orange into segments. What are they like?

Intense and dramatic, says Maria Goyri.

Arthur spits out a pip. Thwoot!

It lies in the sand,
Glistening and furry,
Like a dead Spanish hero,
Who, por desgracia!
Has tragically fallen
From his horse.