Tears for the Spirits

A Tovli ten word challenge

I sit cross-legged and still

my backpack behind me

on a sacred small promontory

high up in the dwellings

 

Long gone spirits of the dead begin dislodging

from wooden ladders,

weathered homes carved in the wall

and from under stacked stones.

My soul at peace summons them.

 

I close my eyes and travel back.

The smell of cooking meat,

small wistful clumps of smoke 

hang in the green valley,

children’s squeals of joy

bounce from stone walls.

A recent rain is glistening 

through the riparian willows.

 

Mothers in loose animal skin dresses

walk single file along a path that 

swings up from the valley floor.

 

Three men with scraggly hair sit on the ledge below,

passing a single pipe with adorning eagle feather.

 

The steady alternating cadence beat of

two skilled stone cutters with iron rods and wood mallets

patiently carve a new room in the cliff wall.

 

A thick, colorful sheep’s wool door

flaps in the breeze over an opening nearby.

 

Two masons with mud bricks on a

travois suspended between them leave the clay digs.

 

The earth is bountiful.

Men will always prosper here.

 

A rock falls from high.

It bounces

and bounces.

The ‘bonk’ echoes 

and echoes.

I open my eyes to the hot dry lifeless place.

I dedicate tears to the past spirits

and to the passage of time

Reviews

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

Beautiful poem! Lovely tribute to our Native Americans.. as i see it ..
O, you are such a good writer!
Glad i know you!
Chloe

[Salvatore Buttaci]

Congratulations for winning Tovli's Simple-Ten contest!

[Helena]

What an enjoyable read. Loved every bit of it. Very well done indeed! ~ Helena

[Tovli]

great imagery--a lot of power! tovli

[Hampgal]

I like your use of all senses to evoke the past! This part is very effective:

The smell of cooking meat,
small wistful clumps of smoke
hang in the green valley,
children's squeals of joy
bounce from stone walls.
A recent rain is glistening
through the riparian willows.

[No Longer Writing Here]

Great job with imagery...you painted a vivid picture and have chosen your words very carefully. Love the story feel that flows continuously from stanza to stanza.