American children with united voices
Recited poetry, when I was a child
Of beautiful autumn, a lovely season
Of October’s weather, dry, clear, and mild.
Of meadows with lush grass and grazing cattle
Of trees in apple orchards bending low
Of withered corn stalks left in the field
Of blue cloudless skies and the sun’s glow.
This October in Belize is a different story
Almost daily downpours, skies humid and gray.
Children sloshing homeward through puddled streets
Determined sports teams on muddy grounds play.
Cane fields lie saturated under water
Frogs honk loudly after the twilight hour
At day’s first light and sunset too
Fierce dark clouds on the horizon tower.
A few months later in soft breeze and sun
Those not here in October say, “How nice
Are the emerald land and turquoise sea.
Beautiful Belize is like paradise”.
All the clouds have evaporated
Leaving the sun to command the sky
A merciless penetrating haze
Searing the brain and blinding the eye
White is the crocheted lace of the waves
On the sparkling robe of the sea
White are the sea gulls looking for fish
Hidden in a briny treasury
Many forest trees are bare of leaves
Sunlight filters down in patches
Drying the soggy, leafy carpet
Infiltrating the matted thatches
The sun is transiting to the North
To prepare for the Arctic plover
To awaken plants and animals
And announce that winter is over
We tolerate the months of dryness
The dusty, breezeless time of burning
Listening for thunder to announce
That soon the rains will be returning
Cans imported from afar
Jalapeños in a jar
I see Scottish orange jam
Milk from Holland, Danish ham
Chinese peaches in a can
English cookies in a pan
From Jamaica come sardines
From the U.S.A., canned beans
Local rice and beans in sacks
Salvadorian salt snacks
India sends English tea
Good things come by land and sea
Other items can be had
Toothpaste made in Trinadad
Face soap made in Mexico
Cans and boxes row on row
Corned beef sent from Uruguay
Worldwide products will I buy
I can learn geography
Visiting the grocery.
© Anne K. Lowe, 2005