Hidden Beneath the Rainbow

Hidden Beneath the Rainbow Guatemalan villages have rainbows of dreams. Magical thought whereupon each soul gleams. Locked by a culture engraved on the soul. Harvests where births’ golden customs unroll. Living antiquated amid pompous brochures Sleeping upon mats on plank beds or hut floors. Boys and girls may not date or co-mingle. Marriages arranged without knowing lust’s tingle. In homes of adobe an empire is stayed. Within those four walls, the future is laid. Bounded by mountains and winding footpaths Encroached by the world, walking different paths. Families stay warm around a hearth of three stones, Braving the simple life without moans and groans. Stunning people clad in colorful handmade clothes. The earth is their friend, their skills, and maestros. Milling their coffee, chili peppers, and corn. Homegrown products produced feed these freeborn. Harvests of sweat and self-satisfaction Hand worked acres and strength still in fashion. Hidden near volcanoes; tucked in God's hands. Generations of peoples have loved on those lands. Glowing beauty shines beneath heat and straw hats. Faces aglow, tourists hoping for chats. Gleaming simplicity knows modernization's foes. That exploited attraction where vacationers go. Escaping the fast pace and the greediness flow. San Pedro la Laguna, hidden beneath the rainbow – © August 3, 2010 Dane Smith-Johnsen REFERENCES: http://www.artemaya.com/artist_life_bp.html http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/05-12/a-taste-of-tranquility-life-on-the-shores-of-lake-atitlan-san-pedro-la- laguna-guatemala.html