Friday, December 9, 2016

Susan Hawthorne #347 the poetry returns

some days the poetry goes out of you
this morning's walk in the park
to look over the city of Santiago
could inspire me but all I feel
is tired legs




there's a plaque signed by Charles
Darwin on one of the huge rocks
old worn by years of earthquakes
and erosion the steps go up wind
down again





an agave with its giant shoot
heading for the sun or moon
I get lost in the maze of paths
end of at the wrong end
of the park





this is the land of the Pre-
Columbian people who mummified
the dead 3000 years before
the Egyptians they made beautiful
pottery

weaving cloths with complex
patterns representing the visions
caused by the native hallucinogens
three days ago a similar cloth for sale
in the market





what begins as a very ordinary day
ends with thoughts of the old people
of Tierra del Fuego their pride
and later demolished ways after
missionaries come





* The last two photos were taken in 1923 and 1924 respectively both by Martin Gusinde as part of the exhibition Los espiritos de la Patagonia Austral at Bellas Artes, Santiago.

1 comment:

  1. Tired legs, yes. But how I wish I was there. And since I'm not, your poem will do more than suffice. Thanks.

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