1533

under a nervous rain
in the dark afternoon of the forest
the slave extracts latex from the rubber tree
and the whip leaves stripes in the man on his knees

under the scorching sun
in the morning before shrouded by mists
the slave handles the pan in the stream
and the whip opens a bloody wound in him

but centuries before that
the ferocity of the jaguar lurks in the woods
the beautiful water lily looks like a green tray
where the dragonfly is swallowed by the frog
conquerors' helmets reflect a sliver of the sun
beyond the sodden forests is their way
past the snowy Andean mountain
the Inca temples are waiting for the nefarious visit
that will bring devastation and pain

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L Milton Hankins

Date: 4/5/2022 12:06:00 PM

Excellent, Marco. Centuries of history brought to a core issue here. There is an underlying sense of survival of the fittest, which I am hesitant to apply to slavery, but you have written a thought-provoking and cogent piece. Good stuff!

L Milton Hankins
Date: 4/5/2022 2:56:00 PM

Indeed, it is, Marco. Thanks for sharing this info. My baccalaureate degree is in history. I specialized in American Presidential History. I always enjoyed teaching and taught social studies for six years at the elementary level. Then I went on to seminary, but I incorporated a lot of teaching into my pastoral career. Best wishes for your future.

Marco Chies
Date: 4/5/2022 12:38:00 PM

As we know, history is told by the winners... I've been a lawyer since forever, now I'm doing a second degree, after which I'll teach History, an old wish of mine.