ATARDECER EN TAGANGA (TWILIGHT IN TAGANGA)
There is no hurry here
only el ritmo Afro-Caribe
and the tropical winds
swaying las palmas
sweeping away
the losses of yesterday
as I wait under a full moon
for sunrise
on a beach by the bay
MULATANIA
I’m savoring the land of chocolate & honey
where ripe mangoes bounce
in bikinis strolling on sand
and in skin tight jeans
on the cobblestone streets
of colonial Cartagena
CAFÉ HAVANA
At midnite the band begins to play
All the tables fill as
el ritmo inspires my feet to move
to la salsa y la cumbia beat
Blissfully swingin’
with my brothers and sisters
in the café and on the street
as la madrugada arrives
Cartagena finally falls asleep
CIUDAD PERDIDA (LOST CITY)
I’m hiking the Sierra Nevada
into the hidden lost city
where the Tayrona and Arhuacos
reside in tribal spirits abiding
on stone walls
paths, terraces, thatched huts
y las hamacas
The Mad(e)offs have it all wrong:
concrete, paper and plastic
fast cars, private clubs
and con games can’t compensate
for lost buffalo, tom tom
tepee and tomahawk
ATARDECER EN PANAMA (LATE AFTERNOON IN PANAMA)
Leaning on the railing I see
black winged Talingos circle
over the Bay while shadows
creep up la rampa and then shade
the colonial Spanish villa across
the street from my upstairs room
in Luna’s Castle on a winter day
I watch the boys playing soccer on
the street and when night falls
I prepare to feast on seafood
EL MERCADO DE MARISCOS (SEAFOOD MARKET)
Panama has ships cruising the canal
as Colombian putas enticingly smile—
Gringos live in style behind high walls
Casinos teem with Chinese touristas—
But for me it’s the ceviche y corvina
el chupe de camarones
y la sopa de Mariscos
that satisfies my appetite
SAN BLAS QUINCEANERA
At midnight
I swing on mi hamaca
en mi cabana as
Kuna Yala angels of light
sparkle and dance
in the heavens above
as virgins celebrate
by cutting their raven hair—
wrapping colorful beads
around tender brown calves—
wearing rainbow blouses
and scarves woven by hand
While the men drink
sing, stagger and sway
all night and all day
ARCO IRIS (RAINBOW)
Today at noon on the road
from San Blas to Panama City
the jeep driver’s teenage son
looks at the sky and shouts
“Mira! Mira!”
I wonder what has moved this boy
who laid silent on his back
as we bumped over la cordillera?
The jeep stops and we jump out
peering up into the noonday sky
as a rainbow halos the sun
PLAZA DE LA TRINIDAD
I wander up the shadowy street
at sunset and find families
who fill the plaza
with laughter and love songs
I watch children hanging
on open arms of stone saints
before a colonial church
jumping on trampolines
zooming on skateboards
doing handstands and cart wheeling
over and under rumba rhythms
tomas 09