To my friend Mr. José H. Roa Bárcena
SONNET.
Against the great spokesmen Aaron and Moses
In the vast desert the people rose up,
And Jehovah gives his burning fire to the angel
And sends him forth with terrible orders.
Then Aaron, as he was used to,
In his shining garment and diadem,
With his censer and perfumes,
Advances to the camp, already burning, as a mourner.
As it hovers between the world of the living and the dead.
A great groan Aaron gives, and another groan,
He pleads with God and burns the incense.
And his arms are seen held up in terror
Of the immortal angel when his statue was sculpted.
You can see the name of the Lord on the diadem.