from "Ombligo Sereno de la Luna" - bloga of Abel Salas

[Abel Salas was one of the first, in a series of young, wide-eyed men, who I noticed hanging around raul--his onda, his bookstore and literary events. Abel was not only good at helping raul manage his shop, but he was a promising poet as well. Abel's long-gone from Austin; he's been based in southern California for many years now. But, to me, he will always be part of the memory I have of those first few years that Resistencia bookstore--as a literary, sociopolitical sharpening stone-- became indelibly stamped on my soul like the favorite places of childhood, of young adult experimentation.]

Here's an excerpt from a fine tribute essay Abel posted to his blog on Wednesday, Feb. 13th:

"He wrote and he taught and he blessed us with his wisdom, a sage body of knowledge acquired through a lifetime of experience filtered through one of the keenest intellects I've ever encountered. His work on behalf of Native American rights and at-risk youth in detention facilities across the nation, his struggles against oppression and political censorship around the globe, and his gentle demeanor as a humble bookminder shall be heralded through the end of time. Adios, uncle. I'm a better human being for having known you and need you to know that your work will go on. It will continue far beyond those admiring liner notes for your first spoken word CD from Calaca Press, te lo prometo... La lucha continua."