The Origins of the Owners of Land
—for the members of Oshugó Àgàn
At first a child
rolled off a reed mat
a height of no consequence
Later the bald ageless vulture
circles the hill the man climbs
When the owners of the land arrived
they brought beaded bag in their search
Bag beaded big enough to house the echoes
that gave birth to sketches of words on dust
Bag deep enough to circle obstacles
that would sprout upon birth
They reached a clean house chalked walls
of peace a person of peace
They planted a pair of brass scepters
illumined male / female
short legs kneeling long torso crisscrossed
by arms
hands
clenching some secret
or just its thumbs
They saw three to be balanced—
Earth & us
Impermanence & love
water & its gourd as gorge
fish & whirling water
How they all seemed dependent on each other
There is balance where there are three . . .
Copyright Credit: Adrian Castro, "The Origins of the Owners of Land" from Handling Destiny. Copyright © 2009 by Adrian Castro. Reprinted by permission of Coffee House Press.
Source: Handling Destiny (Coffee House Press, 2009)