Three Poems from Cajamarca, Peru (While Traveling)

Three Poems from Cajamarca, Peru,

Part I

“The Black Andes”

The black mountains of the Andes
Caped in sporadic greens
Beams of light cast through the clouds
Give a haunting cadaverous scene
As I descend into this city called
Cajamarca, in the morning
Of May!...

Note: (written: 5-4-07), written while in flight, from Lima, Peru to Cajamarca. It is 6:20 AM (observing the mountains as we come into this valley city. #1807


Part II

The Mashua Lady of Cajamarca

The Mashua Lady of Cajamarca
Sits, across the street from my hotel,
Selling these potato like vegetables,
With a tall white hat (traditional)
Wide rimed—(pink blouse)
Counting her coins, checking her Mashua
(and grabbing more from her sack);
Selling them fast…dark clouds over head—!

!2:50 PM #1809 5-4-2007



La Collpa Farm (From Cajamarca)


Animals cry—and I don’t know why, in Cajamarca;
And the cows know their names, at La Collpa Farm.
Rosa and I watched this funny little escapade,
As the farmer slashed his whip, and called their names
One by one they came: Teresina and Paula at first,
Then rest of the cows, perhaps ten more:
Came and went to their stalls, with their names.
It would seem they were almost human,
With shot, weight, and medical records,
And real personnel names…!

#1808 5-5-2007


Note: At Collpa Farm, in the Cajamarca, Valley of Peru, in Northern Peru that is, they have this farm where they have names, the cows have names, like Catalonia, etc., and when the farmer calls them, they come, and the poem tells the rest of the story. My wife I think liked this part of our trip the most.