from the 1977 Nahualliandoing

Untitled

“Because you can never count enough stars.”
                         Armando Serda

“Venus was the most observed and
studied planet by the Nahua astronomers.”
                        Leon Portillo

Senoritas y jovenes
GUADALUPANOS
la reina del Cielo        whose crown is of stars
who stands on a crystal globe     Nuestra Senora de Amor
                         who divines by crystal
who shakes smoking stars out of her petticoats of spun glass
HUEYCITLALLIN
                es la luz por la ventana de manana
THE MORNINGSTAR
in antiquity is a marble statue
& I have touched her belly of smooth stone
                           A HUGE STAR
she is the brite star that seduced the poet
left standing naked at the crossroads entranced
as the Lady of Light riding in Night’s carriage
drives thru the streets of the Celestial City
                                    olin
                                    atlan
                                    apozonalotl
                                    & Venus was born
it is said in the West Ashtoreth rules the palm tree   the dove
Ishtar  a star brilla     rules the laughter of lovers  the rose
I can almost smell the perfume of her priests
nubs de incense emplumado
I can almost feel dormir el dolor de Esmeraldas
I can almost fell her negligee of spun emerald thread
skirt of my eyelids


                    by Ronnie Burk