Lorraine Caputo

INTO WAJIRRA

Sandy soil dense scrub brush

palest sunrise

Across some inlet or a river

swift currents flowing

to the Gulf of Venezuela

White froth washes

against its shore

Wayuu women in long loose dresses

strong wind & sun-etched faces

awaken to this other day

Herons fly towards the yellow-

orange sun now crested

Long stretches of barren land

lagunillas edged by brine

reeds bowing in the wind

& now& again

that golfo

On the border a Wayuu, tall, erect

quickly disappears into a thicket

her manta barely brushing the thorns

SEEKING PEACE

Street lamps &

starlight dapple

Swift waters shouting

through the night

Along the highway

on the other bank

buses pass, their

passengers asleep or

peering through

the darkness

A cat jumps

from the tin roof,

a meteorite shoots

‘cross the sky

Out front a garbage

can topples, dogs bark

& the bell rings

echoing through this inn,

a traveler

seeking peace

TO BEAT THE STORM

A rumble of thunder

rolls across the

southwest mountains

The woman of the corner café

wipes the balcony table

before stowing it inside

a rumble

A father hurries

up the street

toddler daughter in arms

rumble

Music echoes up

from the Theater Plaza, with an

affretando rhythm

rumble of thunder

DAWNING

Clouds swirl around

these mountains & the

ancient ruins, through this

morning twilight

In the flickers

of the kitchen fire

a mother scatters

yesterday’s rice

to the chickens

Her young daughter

arises, singing

holy hymns with a

crystalline voice

SELF’S PORTRAIT

Age-old

is what wrinkles

say: worries or wonder

etched deep across my brow, or joy

in the crescent grooves on either side of

my mouth … & those around my eyes,

squinting to understand

puzzling questions

age-old

FRACTURES

frazzled nerves, the mind

roaming, not focused,

anarchic … emotions

careening into depths,

teetering on the edge,

under my feet the abyss, the

ravine looming, beckoning

eagles to leave their aeries,

soaring to heights of peace …

Lorraine Caputo is a documentary poet, translator and travel writer. Her works appear in over 250 journals on six continents; and 18 collections of poetry – including On Galápagos Shores (dancing girl press, 2019) and Escape to the Sea (Origami Poems Project, 2021). She also authors travel narratives, articles and guidebooks. In March 2011, the Parliamentary Poet Laureate of Canada honored her verse. Caputo has done literary readings from Alaska to the Patagonia. She journeys through Latin America, listening to the voices of the pueblos and Earth.

Follow her travels at:

www.facebook.com/lorrainecaputo.wanderer or https://latinamericawanderer.wordpress.com.