Quetzalcoatl’s Shadow On Vernor
By Reyes
He walks down streets unknown
His cans spray truth, colors combine for beautiful images of reflection
Visions of past blood memories echo through his hands
He conjures spirits of ancestral songs, sung
seeing the feathered serpents in a soliloquy
Subtle as it is, it is his truth
His brush fills the canvas
His words conjure the future visions
Sprayed with aerosol cans
Of the world that could be
Ancient cave paintings guide his way
Mammoth, mastodons, bears, bison, lions
Once walked with him
Spears carved from stone
Walking through turtle island
He is the poet moving about
A world that wants him silenced
He is the conjury of spells
Words forbidden,
As he speaks truth to power
Yet power does not yield to mere words
With “wat up doe” met with sign language
Confidently showcasing colors
Spoken in codes and codices
Coded in crucial conflict
Conflicted, future constricted, crucified,
by the choices that await him
Candles light corners where souls once stood with smiles
Now the candles illuminate the empty liquor bottles
Blunt guts, ash, and haze, a gaze can be caught
Once a year as they attempt to return home again
Just a shadow on Vernor
As a poet, artist and curator, Reyes performs internationally and facilitates performances and workshops by merging creative expression and critical thought whose work has been featured on HBO, CNN, PBS, The Chicago Tribune's Hoy Noticias, and Latin Nation.
