Slowly –
I remember who we truly are,
and that discovery requires
intention and desire,
to fuel our minds,
bodies and spirits.
I align within.
My common unity
aligns my humanity.
I align with our community
of humanity.
My life expands
after weeks of conversation,
swimming with brilliant fish,
climbing wet forest staircases,
climbing wet forest staircases,
and accidental drives
into war zones in Central America.
into war zones in Central America.
The soldiers of various armies,
funded by various powers,
funded by various powers,
secure the borders
that keep me
from moving further.
I am warned to be careful
of men with guns,
by an Elder
by an Elder
who lives here
deep within the Mayan jungle.
Surrounded by her sounds,
and company of chickens,
and company of chickens,
trees, flowers and plants -
she shelters me.
Her warm sweet-toothed smile,
contributes to me
as I contribute
to this rain forest tribe
by baking dessert.
to this rain forest tribe
by baking dessert.
Over time,
I fill the rain forest
with the healing smell
I fill the rain forest
with the healing smell
of fresh cocoa cake rising.
I am taught to cure all
by brewing teas,
from the bark of this community,
the tender trees, helpful herbs
by brewing teas,
from the bark of this community,
the tender trees, helpful herbs
and friendly flowers.
In my mind’s eye
the image of the unknown,
now holds enough faith
the image of the unknown,
now holds enough faith
to create the trust
needed to stabilize and focus
needed to stabilize and focus
my power of purpose.
I am my intention
to sense my choices
and connection to my journey.
to sense my choices
and connection to my journey.
I am my desire to comprehend
gravity, truth, time, space
uniqueness and oneness.
gravity, truth, time, space
uniqueness and oneness.
I ground maize into a paste
that binds
that binds
and nourishes all matter.
I knead more dough,
for flat corn bread
for flat corn bread
and small tortillas.
I smell the heat of the fire
transforming the coals
transforming the coals
ready for cooking.
The sound of the soldiers
maneuvering
through the forest
through the forest
ripples my nerves
and disturbs the surface
of the well-drawn water
still asleep in its bucket.
of the well-drawn water
still asleep in its bucket.
Reaching
into my canvas bag
I pull
I pull
out and unroll
a piece of cotton cloth,
within it
I have separated
and stored,
a vast army
a vast army
of chilies and spices.
Gathered from the women
I have met in my travels,
these ingredients
these ingredients
are my equivalent
to an alchemist’s store
to an alchemist’s store
of botanical elixirs.
I dip my finger
into the wooden bowls
into the wooden bowls
laid out in front
and to the side of me.
My touch drips
from the organics.
I taste all aspects
of my humanity
and my creations -
the elements that make
the wholeness of my story.
The vast ingredients
of my experiences
that fill color into my blanks,
that fill color into my blanks,
in order to expand
the worldview
the worldview
of my smaller picture.
It starts to rain,
so clean and fresh
that my cellular ecology
morphs into passion.
morphs into passion.
My humility spontaneously creates
an alchemical chain reaction
an alchemical chain reaction
of humid-drops that merge
with the wet-steam of my baking
with the wet-steam of my baking
until the surrounding rain
tastes like melted chocolate.
~~ Other People's Fingerprints ~~
In 1935 Octavio Paz wrote;
tastes like melted chocolate.
~~ Other People's Fingerprints ~~
In 1935 Octavio Paz wrote;
“… from dream to vigil,
from desire to act
you needed only a step
and that taken without effort,
the insects then
were jewels who were alive
the heat lay down to rest
at the edge of the pool
rain was the light hair
of a willow-tree
there was a tree growing
within your hand
and as it grew
it sang laughed prophesied
it cast the spells
that cover space with wings
there were simple miracles called birds
everything belonged to everyone
everyone was everything …”
