PROSE VERSE

Che Guevara His Cigar and the Whiskey Glass an Irish Tall Tale

A Response to Alex Kilcannon’s Prompt On Finding Something Lost

It started with a visit to an Irish Hotel bar By non-other than Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara and friends In the summer of ‘63 In the remote town of Kilkree Co. Clare Ireland Along the wild Atlantic way, Fitting for a man such as Guevara Who ordered Irish whiskey to enjoy With his famous Cuban cigar.

A chat with a working student versed In Cuban affairs before bidding farewell, A Sláinte and salute While leaving his trademark cigar In the ashtray collected and kept as keepsake Along with whiskey glass in the hotel bar.

As the years went by forgotten was the Whiskey glass and cigar of Che Guevara, Lost to time and lousy recollection, Until one day found by an inquisitive young grandson In a backroom for safekeeping, That place of safekeeping You always forget, a joyous day that day, On finding something lost. Alex Kilcannon

Just a few years later the grandsons 18th birthday and celebration, Che’s Hallowed whiskey glass Now finds itself victim At the hand’s drunken lads Showing off, great craic was had until The floor and glass found themselves Joined in unison, a hundred pieces Swept away in life’s unremarkable tale.

Dear auld Che at that time would have been Rolling with Laughter in his Vellangrande mass grave.

A few years go by as the Young granddaughter finds celebration For her 21st birthday, Fate once again played its hand of temptation. Che’s hallowed cigar Now finds itself victim At the hands of drunken lasses Showing off, great craic was had until A bin and cigar joined in unison. The place was soon ablaze and the hotel bar Was a bar more, burned along with Che’s cigar In life’s unremarkable tale.

However, from the ashes in the burnt-out hotel bar, A little glint from a shinning piece of glass bathed In mornings sunlight, behold an ashtray, The ashtray, of Che Guevara!

Dear auld Che would be rolling with laughter in his Santa Clara grave.

Parts of this tall Irish tale are true, Che Guevara is a true historical character, who visited a hotel bar in Kilkree Co Clare in Ireland and chatted with a working student while drinking Irish whiskey with his Cuban friends. He also smoked cigars. Che Guevara’s remains were found and identified next to an airstrip in Vellangrande and taken to Santa Clara along with fellow combatants who were laid to rest in a specially built mausoleum with full military honours.

The rest is very made up in true tall tale fashion.

If I may I would like to add Eli Snow Suntonu Bhadra Simran Kankas Harper Thorpe to Alex Kilcannon’s Challenge. 1. Contains the lines: She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. ‘Do not challenge me,’ she said. 2. On finding something lost 3. Picture prompt

Thank you for reading. J.

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