in the carved land of
stone pyramids &
sacrificial altars, they
came with bibles and
bone-hard prayers, and
yet, we stood, unyielding,
hearts in the mouth
of the serpent god,
unyielding to foreign
wind & foreign tongues,
until she came, cloak
of stars & roses,
tones of motherly
softness weaving through
the skies, breaking open
the stone of our
resistance, nine million
hearts turning like earth,
blood washed away by
visions of truthful love,
a tidal wave of faith
sweeping away old
gods, ending blood on
altars, gentle rain
on an arid soul, her
song an arrow, striking
deep into spirits of
stone, making us
new, making us
believe, ancient rites
dissolving in the
light of her face.