Corn Flowers in the Clouds

by Yana Lucila Lema (Ecuador : Kichwa)
translated by Margaret Randall

they tell us our land is no longer ours
that they’ve bought our water

but the corn will mature on the land
and water will come from the clouds
she will run in the mountains
to the places where the spirit caretakers of everything live

corn land
corn bread
corn water
corn flower in the clouds

corn behind the male mountains
behind the female mountains

in its honor we have erected barricades
and have lit the sacred fire