Ex of the Isle - UPDATED



Rafael and Castro
Were born on the same day
On the beautiful isle of Cuba
Just several miles away

Both born in the countryside
The exact time isn't clear
Both full of Cuban pride...
1926 was the year

Rafael was born dark
Of the Afro-Cuban race
Castro had light skin...
And a smooth Spanish face

Rafael Canivaro used to play drums
He hung out in bars
Drove American cars...and
Chomped on cigars with his barrio chums

They spoke of politics
And the working mans pain
Laughed at the USA's dirty tricks
And played futbol in the rain

That was before Castro
Antes de la revolucion
When Cuba was free
Though life wasn't perfect
Prosperity was on the rise
And a certain lady...

Had that look in her eyes

He now lives north of Havana
In a west coast Florida town
While its not his little isle
There are Cubans all around

And they sit on a bench
Under a Banyan tree
Consumed by a game of chess
Dreaming of 1943...

At the age of 20...he was rolling cigars
By the age of 40...he was covered in scars
Inflicted by the Castro regime
Falsely accused of running...
An anti-government scheme

Now he's 85...and very much alive
Just like Castro...he refuses to go
Two cigars daily he continues to smoke
55 sit-ups and a walk in the park
Two strong mojitos...just after dark

And the lady with the twinkle in her eye?
Her see's her tombstone everyday...as he drives by
Marta is buried in the cemetery
Nearest to the gate...Born in 1935
Died in 2008

She had the long black hair
And ruby red lips
The mind of a scholar
And very graceful hips

His great-grandson is a boxer
He fights on the TV
A young up-and-comer
Like Canivaro used to be

He came years before the boatlift
But after the Bay of Pigs
It was around 1963
A baby on the way
That Marta and he
Landed on the beach
Thumbing their nose at Castro...
But living just out of reach

He reads the Cuban paper
See's Castro still in power
The regime still in place
His countrymen not free
Because Fidel wont die...

And neither will he

Then the news on the radio:
Castro fell ill...might even be dead!
Rafael knew better
He has lived with this curse
But he knows this in his heart...

Fidel will die first...

Finally the wish came true
It was the 25th day of November
The radio crackled with the news
To death did Castro surrender

Rafael wiped a tear from his eye
Not from the news that Castro was gone
For this despot he would never cry
But for the love of Cuba
And the mercy of God
Then the tears started to flow

Cuba was free of Castro


Written by:
Jesse Alberson
6/20/11
Updated 11/26/2016

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