The sinking of the Belgrano

 

No queremos guerra abierta,

No queremos guerra abierta,

We don't want open war,

 

his generals told Galtieri

at twenty hours before.

 

Mutual withdrawal of forces,

Mutual withdrawal of forces,

agreed Galtieri with Belaunde,

 

begged Belaunde of Thatcher's man,

at thirteen hours before.

 

Yet she, the vacuous sublime,

Conqueror unleashed

to tear a vessel to a tin tomb

 

holed below the waterline,

unsealing

 

bloated mushrooms,

where comrades propped the scorched cadet

who screamed Quiero morir!

 

and peace, torpedoed,

sank for the umpteenth time.