Guardians of the forest,
of the vine-embraced ceiba
and enormous ferns,
delicate orchids
and carnivorous blossoms,
the macaw and the toucan,
the chorus of diminutive frogs
and the stalking jaguar;
Fires and herds
encroach;
invasion
of the consumer
in the indigenous
realm,
the secretive
Awá Guajá
retreat
with their blowguns
into the diminishing
thicket
away from illegal
loggers
and miners;
The protector,
Paulo Paulino,
his bark-colored
face painted with
dreams,
makes his rounds
to be sure
all is well,
but ambushed
by thugs,
is slain in the mud
beneath
the accusation
of howler monkeys.
________
Robert René Galván, born in San Antonio, resides in New York City where he works as a professional musician and poet. His last collection of poems is entitled, Meteors, published by Lux Nova Press.
Photo of deforestation in Brazil by Operação Hymenaea.
________
