Listening to Bulerias de la Nina Mora
 
The most important thing in flamenco 
is passion. —Sara Baras
 
You could swear
The guitarist has birds for hands:
The flashing fingers take flight
Across the fretboard
Before her warbling wail
Breaks in—
A lamentation of need
As urgent as any animal.
The guttural cry 
Is spectacular
And then the rhythmic claps
As Rodrigo slaps the strings.
You are no gypsy,
You thought yourself inflammable.
But now your blood begins to sing
Stronger than caffeine in coffee
As you stifle a strangled shout—
Suddenly remembering 
That the soul is a burning coal
No amount of heel stomps
Can stamp out.