Mayan Appreciation
The Maya appreciate people
even when departed are dead.
Maya invite dead spirit
to continue in the world;
to remain in the world
to help with their toil.
To do this the Maya pass
coca leaves three times;
around honoured laid out
corpse of the dead person.
While in esteemed western society
we do not even appreciate;
the living when they are alive
when unknown strangers unknown to us.
Why is it people living at altitude
in primal harmonious agricultural lifestyles;
have a reverent respect for nature essential
have a more enlightened attitude to life?
I thought pursuit altitude sickness
was supposed to harass affect;
people living at such high altitude
yet Maya living in clouds of Gods;
become tired ill with decent into valley
of pristine fertile green pastures;
where interactive infection breeds
swifter than can grow green spring grass.
Even among Maya some villagers
get drunk so become violent;
and cannot behave as civilized
people by necessity must behave.
Even when Mayan villagers
must sacrifice a lama for meat;
music is appreciation played
all care all life reverence;
must be appropriately given
to all community animals sacrificed.
Even the tinku the fighting ritual
an encounter of differing energies;
tinku is ritual encounter not brawl
to restore unity among participants.
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poem by Terence George Craddock
Added by Poetry Lover
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