Che

You know I rocked a full beard and a beret with a star
You know I smoked the occasional Cuban cigar
You’re all wearing my t–shirt, but what’s that really good for
You all know my face now let me tell you what I stood for

Born in 1928, Rosario Argentina
My daddy was an Irishman, my mom was a Latina

Being diagnosed with asthma didn’t stop me from success
Strong as I was smart, I played rugby and chess
I was blessed with both mental and physical powers
My friends called me pig, cause I rarely took showers

I liked to write poetry, I liked to read philosophy
In my teens I developed a keen interest in photography
Then in ‘48, cause I thought medicine was cool
I attended the Buenos Aires Medical School

In ‘51 my friend suggested that we take a trip
So we bought a motorcycle and decided we should dip
Packed up our supplies, gear, clothes, and food
Said goodbye to our families and headed for Peru

You may have heard of these adventures in my motorcycle diary
I saw horrible things that got me passionate and fiery
There was disenfranchisement, poverty, and oppression
Armed Marxist revolution became my obsession

All these people shared the same Mestizo culture
Slowly being killed by a capitalistic vulture
It was time for society to begin its evolution
So I devoted my life to Marxist revolution

I met Fidel Castro in 1955
And discovered that we shared the revolutionary drive
I joined his 26th of July Movement
His target was Cuba, which needed much improvement

The US installed government would be overthrown
The dictator Batista would be kicked off his throne
Our ship set out from Mexico the very next year
And so began my revolutionary career

As soon as we landed Batista’s army attacked
We fled to the mountains with just half our men intact
As we fled we were forced to drop many supplies
I carried my medicine, but some ammo caught my eyes

There was ammo or medicine I could only carry one
So I left behind the medicine got ammo for the guns
This was the final act in my transition
I became a combatant no longer a physician

We regrouped in the mountains, started working as a team
And fought guerrilla war against Batista’s regime
I showed my military prowess again and again
And soon I became the unofficial leader of the men

I led the successful attack on Santa Clara
Havana fell next bringing the end to an era
Generals made peace with rebels to Batista’s dismay
And with no support at all he was forced to run away

Though I was not a Cuban, I had proved my worth
And I was proclaimed a Cuban citizen by birth
After Fidel Castro I was second in command
But I couldn’t stay put I had much greater things planned

In ‘64 I went to Ireland, New York, and Paris
Peoples Republic of China, Ghana, and Guinea
Tanzania, Mali, Prague, Egypt,
And this is the message that I spread throughout my trip

We must not tacitly comply with exploitation from the west
Cause, “There are no frontiers in this struggle to the death.”
Every victory is ours, as well as each defeat
Until all people are free the revolution’s incomplete

So I’m a revolutionary at home and overseas
It’s “Better to die standing, than to live on your knees.”
We cannot let imperialists, bully us with bombs
We all must take up arms and “create many Vietnams”

And words are unimportant if they don’t match deeds
So the fight must continue ‘til revolution succeeds
“I don't care if I fall, if someone else picks up my gun
And keeps on shooting.” until the battle’s won

“I‘m not a liberator. Liberators don’t exist.
The people liberate themselves”, all I do is assist
In ‘65 it was the Congo that needed my assistance
Where the Marxist Simba movement was fighting for existence

I taught the men guerrilla warfare in hopes they would succeed
But incompetence and infighting made this heard indeed
Plus our enemy was backed by the CIA
So the struggle became harder and harder everyday

I left after seven months of frustration
I was ill with dysentery in the African nation
My body was weak, and my energy depleted
My efforts had failed, and the rebels were defeated

But after just a brief rest I continued my fight
Bolivia was the next country in my sights
I went deep into the jungle with fifty of my supporters
There we trained the rebels and set up our headquarters

In both equipment and manpower we severely lacked
And once again our enemy was CIA backed
We had to move around the jungle never staying dormant
But eventually they found us with the help of an informant

Our encampment was surrounded, but a courageously defended
My legs were shot and my rifle was destroyed ‘fore I surrendered
They all wanted to kill me, I knew I was a goner
The soldier who drew the short straw received the honor

"I know you are here to kill me.” I began
“Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man."
So I was murdered on October 9 1967
My Spirit left my body and ascended to the heavens

I’m Ernesto “Che” Guevara I embodied revolution
Both during my life and after my brutal execution
My message creeps round corners under doors and through the hallways
Revolution will go on “Until victory always”