el Indicado

"Indicado" has no direct translation in English; can be read roughly as "The [chosen] One"

I.

My heart is an old woman

who has seen too much, with

streaks in her black hair and eyes

that can see into your future.

My soul is a little girl

who never yet learned

how much to fear out there.

 

I tried recently introducing

my heart to someone, but could

not find her until I called you.

She had removed her clothes,

woven flowers in her hair,

and was dancing naked with you

 

in some place where no-one knew

either her age, or the two of us.

The little girl was examining stones

there too, by the water’s edge, looking

for one with a vein of pure silver

to give to you as a promise

of everything we could ever say.

 

II.

Sometimes, you want to be held

when you are so afraid of the

uncertain way the world has of

tilting in unexpected ways. He asked,

would I hold him for one night

and so I took his small body in

 

my arms and rocked him to sleep, like

an angel might; but when I awoke, I am

so sure I was holding you, as he

was being held by another her. And

I did not want to disturb any

of the four of us,

thus, I left the hair in all our eyes.

 

III.

You say, you are afraid to ask-

afraid of my leaving, afraid of

your needing; afraid that so many

things we could say were written

before our birth in a language no-one

alive remembers how to read.

 

You say, that fear is too great to allow

someone to hold you. You are afraid

of silver, of ages. Sure I will leave you

the day I have you. I remember

taking your hand though in some

future place, and am sure:

 

You fear most I tell the truth when

I say, I would never leave you

dancing alone, blinded by

a fall of hair in your eyes, the world

only tilting away from you. If I share

your space, it will never be someone

else I hold.

 

Author's Note

will add author's note tomorrow