Rosa In the month of October, when hurricanes loom, a few plantation owners burn their fields, and free their slaves, declaring independence from Spanish rule. Slavery all day, and then, suddenly, by nightfall—freedom! Can it be true, as my former owner explains, with apologies for all the bad years— Can it be true that freedom only exists when it is a treasure, shared by all? Rosa Farms and mansions are burning! Flames turn to smoke— the smoke leaps, then fades and vanishes… making the world seem invisible. I am one of the few free women blessed with healing skills. Should I fight with weapons, or flowers and leaves? Each choice leads to another— I stand at a crossroads in my mind, deciding to serve as a nurse, armed with fragrant herbs, fighting a wilderness battle, my own private war against death. Rosa Side by side, former owners and freed slaves torch the elegant old city of Bayamo. A song is written by a horseman, a love song about fighting for freedom from Spain. The song is called “La Bayamesa,”
