Por el altar

Por el altar
(for Gaspar. Dia de los muertos '99)

Dos amigas
con corazónes de niños
and grains of El Paso desert sand
rolling around in their memories
open themselves up
with tamales, dulces, tequila, mescal
two decks of cards- sin el Joker
and Cuban cigars
to welcome their visitors
who come from a long journey of many moons and suns
that glowed over Patzcuaro, Michoacan
and Oaxaca.

They arrive, las amistades, tias , abuelos past lovers
pasan por el camino de ese altar
guided by the morse-code of candle flickers
tantalized by the aroma of foods
and the desire to indulge en sus viejos vicios.

Soon el cuarto se llena de energia y de calor.
words and laughter that bruises their sides
drift to the heavens
on clouds of gray-green smoke
while images of Xena flicker on the t.v. set
followed by her warrior’s call
when she thrashes the villains and seduces the goddesses.
The rest of the night las dos amigas sit with their tongues
coated with taste of quemado from the mescal
their bellies bloated from the tamales, cheeks rosy-red
and their visitors watching from above.