Las Gemelas

Our land.

Our earth.

Our trail.
Our mountain.

Of gravel and dirt

chaparral and oak

sage brush and black crow

vistas and the northeast breeze

city of angels,

as our backdrop.

Narrow paths,

crisscross, through

the wild flowers, the tall grass,

and the Eucalyptus trees,

gather us,

to walk and talk,

air it out (literally),

wind taking us,

our questions, our concerns,

our grief, our celebrations,

our anger and victories,

away,

restoring us,

to peace and release. 

This,

is our Debs Park.

Our ombligo.

To heal, to regenerate,

to recover, to return.

But this week,

a dark veil, descended on our mountain.

The earth, sky, crows, hawks, chaparral,

oaks, Eucalyptus, and creatures,

witnessed

two deaths,

of two girls,

las gemelas. 

In our sacred space,

a crime has been committed.

Life,

stolen!

ON OUR LAND!

Young sisters,

bright smiles,

Latinas,

daughters,

high school students,

members,

of our pueblo.

I am burning sage.

I am lighting candles.

I am pounding the drums.

I am summoning the protective forces.

I am commanding,

the universe,

to re-member,

our land.

Bring back the balance. 

Guide our departed sisters,

to the ocean of eternal life. 

Our park is empty. 

Free land, now heavily patrolled. 

Ancestors,

reconnect us to safety,

to community, to connection,

to pueblo, to progress, to possibility,

to the sacred, to hope…

Queridas hermanas,

as I walk the dirt caminos,

I will remember you.

On your journey,

            travel well.