The Poet's love -- Last grasp at a miracle.

A new chapter.

                                 The Poet's love -- Last grasp at a miracle

At three a.m sharp. Rosa knocked gently on Paloma and Johnnie room. He rose up and he open the door. She came in and she smiled. Need more than your boxers to go to my clinic. Paloma awoke and she walked nude to the bathroom. She came out and Rosa went to her. She touched the scars on her back. She told her. I have gentle lotions to make the scars fade away dear Paloma. She turned to her and she whispered. Some scars and marks are needed reminders. When I see them. I remember Mexico city and I remember who did this to me. Rosa thought a second and she told her. Sweet baby.No-one goes through life with scars and pain. Johnnie came from the bathroom dressed in jeans and t-shirt. Rosa embraced her and she whispered to her.One day I will tell you my story. Today Johnnie will learn because. Him and I will become closer than honey and tea.

They walked slowly to Rosa small clinic. He loved how Rosa looked. Brownish red hair, darkest brown eyes he ever seen and a body of Aphrodite, the goddess. She was tall and long legged. He asked her. Who are you dear Rosa and where are you from? She took his hand and she told him. Today when you bathe in the herbal bath. I will tell you my tale. You know I wasn't born here. I found Lawrence many moons ago. He led me into the right places.

The water was prepared. Had the smell of many flowers and many herbs. He asked her. I will smell like Summer's new flower after you are done with me. She smiled and she him. You will drink the dandelion root tea and the essiac tea. I will pack you with a heavy load of garlic in the soup and food I make for you. Dear Johnnie. I cannot cure you. The blood had been attacked. I will strengthen your body to fight against the deadly bacteria. Stomach cancer cannot be control for long. I will need you to be positive, accept what I do to you and please don't complain. He loved her eyes and the strength of her words. He stripped down and he slowly went into the bathtub. She left him and she came back with some tea. She whispered. Drink quickly and a lot. We have a long day planned.

He watched her work. She was delicately harvesting some plants and he loved the color of her skin. He asked her. You told me, You shall tell me a long story. She came to him and she sat on a small wood chair near the bathtub. She begin. You can tell by my hair, skin color and body. I wasn't a native. I'm half Iranian and half Irish. Years ago I stood with the revolutionaries in Ireland. We lost, my friends killed and I was wounded. I went into hiding and Leo found me. My heart and mind bleeding. I remember Leo. He was so pretty and young. He told me. My new friend. You don't need this dreaded place. Here in Mexico, you will die alone and forgotten. He forced me to go to Trujillo. I met Lawrence and Liliam. Both true saints. They gave me a place to live and gather my thoughts. I went to the market in Trujillo and I gathered plants. I create a ointment for my bruising and pain. I started planting a herb garden. Lawrence came to me often and we talked. He told me. I'm a natural herbalist. The herbs of Central American can save the world. One day a old woman from Puerto Barrios came to my home. She was almost seventy when I met her. She took my hand and she told me. My name is Maria. I'm a 60 years creator of herbs and plants for curing pain, sickness and sadness. I know your story dear Rosa. Please come with me. You and I could create the natural herbal plants. I'm old. I will teach you many things and maybe you can laugh and sing again?

I went with her. I had no-one left and no place to go. I fell in love with Puerto Barrios the first moment when I saw her. I worked side by side with Maria. She was a patience teacher. She told me often. I talk to the plants. I thank them for the gift of healing. After four years and kindness. Maria told me. I had cancer now for five years. My medicine had found the dead-end. Your last lessons will be the many plants for curing and stalling the poison of cancer if you want? She taught me so much and I seek more knowledge. Us herbalist like Elena and I. We share the knowledge. I was lucky. Leo brought a old man from Mexico to me years, back. He was a skill Nagual. In three months. I learn about the power of the smoke and where to find the herbs needed to create the proper cure. Don Carlos was very kind and generous with me. My life was hard at the beginning and today. I'm very content. I'm treated well here in Puerto Barrios and this is my home now.

Johnnie learn great respect for this beautiful woman. His eyes caressed her with appreciation and kindness. She begin to sing.
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"I'm just a Irish girl
in the lost and found.
I love my whiskey and I love my song.
I love the wild men who want to dance and drink till we can't no more.
I maybe not as pretty as when youth was my strong wine.
Old wine is  become  sweeter and kind.
Irish woman kisses become more  tasty.
Their eyes more beautiful with time and love
               Rosa
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Johnnie told her his story and Rosa cries with him. She told him. I believe we must lose everything to appreciate what we have. You are the poet who loved Paloma. A Poet's love is never forgotten. You and Paloma. Myth and tale for the dreamers. The story of you and Leo. Fearless Leo. Saving of stray cats and desperate woman. She pointed at a painting on the wall. A nude beautiful woman was sitting by a open window.  Johnnie smiled. Dear Rosa. You are a eternal beauty. she smiled and left him. She brought some more dandelion root tea. She read Jack London's book "When God's laugh" to him. She added some more  hot water and more American white lily in the water. She whispered one more hour and my special hemp and mix herbal plant lotion for you.  After the soaking in the herbal bath. He wrapped a towel around himself and he laid on a massage table. There was two tables in the room. Paloma joined them. She stripped down and she rested on the massage table. Rosa came in and smiled. Dear Paloma will keep us company and I shall heal her scars on her back. They are very deep and dark. Need the special healing lotion. The key plant come from Bosnian. She slowly massage Paloma back, neck and her legs. She smiled and she asked him. Am I as beautiful as when you massage my back with medicine and caressed my beaten legs with healing herbs. Johnnie smiled and he told her. More beautiful and more wonderful. After Rosa finished with her. She told her. I need your help and after you leave Puerto Barrios. You must do what I do. The tea, the soups and the bath. If you don't. He won't make the Cuidad Juares. Paloma followed her orders and she learn quickly of the plants needed. Johnnie fell asleep and the two women went to the bay.

Rosa took her hands and she told her. I lost everyone once. I believed in something and my world became hell and I ran or be killed. You hold great pain dear Paloma. You are very important. what you seen and done.  Must be written. You must keep Susana Castilla Chavez alive. Please write the book that must be written. Write from a distance. In Spain, you will be safe there. Few people want to see the violence done to women. The border of Mexico, China and so many places use the young girl up. Leaving only shells of a person. I have contacts in Mexico and when you reach the border. No-one will touch you. Mexican men scared of the old medicine. I have a great friend Don Carlos. A herbalist and famous Nagual. Sweetest and kindest man I know. He was my teacher.  He asked to be your guide and your protector. Johnnie will receive one week of my treatment. You will leave for Belize. Dangriga and Belmopan will be two days stops. Natural and hidden springs for healing. For you and Johnnie. Remember dear Paloma. Be positive and strong. A woman's love will a man forget pain and he will want love and her. Maria begin to sing.

---
Was a Spring flower.
So tall and so beautiful.
Was a Spring flower.
That reached for the sky.
The sky and the sun adored her.
She would dance with the wind.
The wind would whisper love songs to her.
Late Summer came and the flower slowly weaken and faded away.
The sky cries great rain/snow and the sun hid behind the clouds.
In early Spring.
The flower appeared again.
The rain and snow stopped.
The sun shined from dust to dawn.
The gentle wind danced with the beautiful flower again.
The world became beautiful and wonderful once again.
              Rosa
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Paloma kissed Rosa face and lips. She told her. Thank you Rosa. I did need you. I need to forget my anger and regret. Because a storm again. Rosa smiled and she said yes.

                         John Castellenas/Coyote

Author's Note

New chapter.

Reviews

[Dave]

John - I sense you are reaching an end-point in your beautiful story. It is so wonderful to read I'm sorry that it is going to have to end. The detail you manage to go into, I can't help but to feel you have personally experienced so much of this.

Take care - Dave

[Coyote Poetry]

Us writers need to had lived to write. I lost many to Agent orange. Good soldiers who couldn't defeat the cancer. Thank you my friend for reading and the comment.

[Rye]

so very touching and i can sense some sort of longing as well.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are right. People will miss their home and things that can't be found no-more. Thank you my friend for reading and the comment.

[poetgurl]

Wow! so very good, kinda suspenseful in this chapter as well, filled with love. keep writing.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you dear Poet. I appreciate the kind words and the comment.

[barleygirl]

Sorry it took me so long to get to this last chapter! Unfortunately, my bad memory makes it like I'm reading this for the first time. And it works that way! Without remembering the preceding parts of your story, this one is very interesting & well-written as a stand-alone story, too! I love the conversation about herbal healing & I also love the way you show the affection between your characters. This story, overall, is the most complex & intricate one I've read of yours so far. I really like all the details you poured into this entire book (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Margie, my friend. I appreciate the comment.