My last full day in Nicaragua was a blur of color, sound, poetry, and music. I spent the morning running around taking care of last minute tasks that I’d put off until the ultimo momento. Tasks such as buying memory for the camera that I bought in November and making a few other last minute purchases before departing for Costa Rica.
I was making my way back home mid-afternoon, and made the fortuitous choice to walk instead of look for a taxi. There, in front of Iglesia Xalteva, was float after float with poets spouting their poems. Following the poets were marching bands and row upon row of dancers in colorful costumes all gathered for the Procesion of the Poesia.
After the tuba and drum music had faded into the distance, I headed to a cafe to sip on some coffee and use the free wifi, then home to pack my bags for the journey. There were many people at the house to help in the bag packing, and I made my load lighter by gifting some items away. The papa in the family is a poet in his own right, and I had had the luck the previous day to walk by the Plaza Indepencia just as he was reciting his poem. His voice reverberated over the microphone as he spoke of the melancholia of death and love and his hand shook as he held the microphone. As I packed my bags to journey on, he assured me that the door to his home would always be open for me.
After packing and repacking my bags and tugging all the straps tight, I headed out again to catch the Caribbean night of the Poetry Festival. I parked myself on the front steps of the Iglesia San Merced, which had been lit up with orange, white, and green lights – beautifully spotlighted against the inky black night.
I sat facing the street watching the street vendors, tourists, and artists wander as the words from poets from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti floated in the air. After the poets came the music – a reggae band from Bluefields, Nicaragua took to the stage and entertained the crowd with lyrics en espanol y ingles. I danced and danced, surrounded by old friends and new – saying hello and sharing hugs, and looking often at the brilliance of the moon as I soaked up my final evening in Granada.