..............Eagle Of The Sun Poem by elysabeth faslund

Time: November 14th,1532. Pizarro's ships have just been sighted off the coastal desert of Peru, by a Khipu messenger. (Inca runner of messages, in knotted form)
----------...
This is a prose/poem. First draft only. It is long.
--------
Eagle of the Sun


For kings and gods will always be,
Legends of reality.

Merciful Inti! Sun! Tapa Father! Hear this man! Sign...one sign.
Condor, help me reach the Sun!

He knelt. Sand puffs seeing sails, as he. Not fishing sails.
Why men, then?
Tapa Father blinked. Sun-harsh. Earth lurched. Shook.
Dunes walked.
Ear to sand...deep groaning. Warning! Mama Pacha
Shaking Puma's Land this day.
Feet, sand blistered. Seared. He knelt...knees and hands.
Mama Pacha tossed crests. Boats rode up, then down. Closer
To his land's shore.
A mouth opened below...snake scales...Uca Pacha!
The Evil world joined all, today. This Time.

Sun. Earth. Hell...Inti. Mama Pacha. Uca Pacha.
Convergence of destruction.
For kings and gods will always be,
Legends of reality.

Blooded fingers tied colored knots. Message to Atahualpa.
Alpaca fine cords. Haste! Men walking the shoreline!
Inti glinted metal from these mens' hearts. Not gold. Silver.
No feather cloaks.

Khipu message around his throat. Mama Kuka's leaf between
Lip, gum. Pouch full. Condor! Give me wings!


Foothills. Terrace farmers. llama herders. None could watch the
Eagle of the Sun, on his run.

Noon. No cold. No heat, hunger, thirst. Off worn path. Unknown way.
Up. Higher, higher. Price to pay, runner...

Into clouds, snow. Valley mists thick. Cold-blistered,
Blooded feet. Blooded heart. Pain.
Breath short. shallow. He knelt, knees on iced rock. Arms to sky-glow.
Where was Sacred Mountain...peak touching Heaven?
Vision hazed. Darkened. Feather-woven world.

For kings and gods will always be,
Legends of reality.

A man-form walked mists. Shining. Illapa? Star Keeper?
The Khipu runner felt peace, lay prostrate. Blurred sight. Pain. Sharp.
Shimmer surrounded.
'Illapa, i have failed Atahualpa.' Lifted the message cords.
'Eagles do not fail. There is another.'
He threw the Khipu to the sky. Talons captured.
Banked North.

'Watch, Eagle of the Sun, with your heart.'
Mists...Atahualpa's throne room. Khipu fell at his feet.
'Will he heed my warning, Illapa? '
'Atahualpa lives with gods tomorrow, Eagle of the Sun.'

Dawn words. Bright Death. The Eagle heard...
Tapa Inca laughing as the Khipu burned to truth.
'I will never hide. Invite these strange men to my home.
We will honor them with gold.'

For kings and gods will always be,
Legends of reality.