You won't see Celia in silhouette on rebel chests,

marching over coffee cups,

diminished to an image on a tiny little badge,

on a backpack, khaki cap or six foot flag.

 

And you won't see Celia on key rings,

magnets, belt buckles, armbands,

black berets, red berets, playing cards or calendars,

bumper stickers, kitchen clocks,

acrylic blocks or lithographs,

writing pads, Zippo lighters,                                      

Russell Brand merchandise.

 

Why?

 

Did she live too long?

Was she lacking in charisma?

Was her silhouette not up to the mark?

She didn't get caught so she didn't die young

so she didn't get deified either.

 

Why is she a footnote?

Why does no one know of her

meticulous creation of militia men and women;

the training camps, the telephones,

the scouting out of landing points for Castro and his 26-7?

 

A creative insurrectionist

is missing from the narrative;

disappeared from history;

invisible, erased.

Maybe she's not cool enough for counterculture kids.

Perhaps they need to buy their own dissent.

 

Icon, icon, any old icon.

Commodified rebellion.

Tenner for a tee.