Ancient Skin

Painting by Gerard Stricher

 She tattooed her hieroglyphics on me

breaking the skin in multiple places -

a moist tomb built in my honor.

Ink bled from pockets on my thighs

Accented in ruins beneath her commanding fingers

Her face ancient with grief

I walked through the solemn years

Tracing my life with inkwells

Her history permanent on me

Day 9 of the 30 Day Poetry Challenge for National Poetry Month 2012.  Quickly write down 4 verbs, 4 adjectives and 4 nouns.  Write a poem using all twelve words. 

Un Regalo De Lengua

Te regalo mi lengua

So that you can use it

On Thanksgiving

Te regalo mi lengua

So that you can wear it

Like a pearl necklace

Bien fancy como la tia Lourdes

Vieja boracha

I give you my tongue

So that you can charm the snakes

And hide them in your maletas

I give you my tongue

So that you can tell people our stories

That are buried in that tomb of a throat