eagle woman, hummingbird

how mean these streets, these men
to two harmless birds
one cihuatl cuahtli, eagle woman
arms outstretched
singing poems that yearn in nahuatl
for that never forgotten tenochtitlan
for those days of beautification
before the europeans came
with their crosses
their hierarchy
their killing ways
see her as she lowers her arms,
lowers her deep black eyes
kisses the huitzili hummingbird child
on the nose
little bird eyes shining
wings beating fast
the two of them more beautiful
than the bosque del apache refuge
raining snow geese
ringing crane songs

they should be low-grounded these two
long since ground down by the cruelty of men
still they are standing
roots deep in ancestors
who knew the score for a thousand years
still stand tall, still wear the beaded trinity:
corn, deer, medicine
still call it sacred
still sing that birdsong mystery
in the middle of long since bought and sold
still call their daughters
huitzili
hummingbird
bringer of love

mary oishi