madre montaña
it
has been far too long since I’ve visited
I have become a mamá
I have become an abuela
la vida
but now it is time to come home
come home to my madre montaña
I round a bend in the road
and there she is
erect, beaming with an excited smile
tree skirts ruffling
soft, wooden flesh trembling
she beckons to me, arms wide
a beacon among the foothills
and I come to her
she is exactly as I remember her
glamorous as a goddess
forthright like a toddler
a bewitching sea
spooking the most weathered sailor
a snuggly breeze
rocking the baby to sleep
each
creek, stream, river
a stitch in her patchwork quilt
every meadow and valley
a square with a forgotten tale
every tie-off a hermit town
too sleepy to wake up and greet me
she is stuffed with mineral marrow
and edged with snowflake seams
I can feel her insides
the weight of a glacier covers her bosom
like all good mamás
she has given her quinta essentia for her niños
cutting off her own limbs to keep them warm
forgive me, madre montaña
for not visiting you more
mi niña preciosa
siempre estás en mi corazón