Blank verse form of the Introduction to The Taina Bride by daleyl@peak.org In a warm tropical island in a time of peace. Noon sun beats down. The sky is blue. Palms spear the sky. Lizards run through greenest grass. Parrot flocks fly low in raucous multicolored splendor. The woman's twice daily bathing procession sways its snaking way across the hot savanna all shiny skin, dark long hair, and nude, voluptuous, pulchritude. Distant steady throbbing drumming of the men resounds in heated repetition from the Cacique's residence and drifts across the shimmering, heated, perfumed air. The women sing the song of their champion. They sing in ribald rhythmic rhyme They sing in the stanza forms of the ancient ones. At the end of each stanza they sing: She is their chosen one. She will prevail Manikato! Manikato! Victory! Victory! She is who will defeat the Cacique tonight. They sing of her childhood and her noble parents They sing of her flight from Cupey the evil queen, Her escape from the secret Bagia, the evil followers of dog god They sing of her encounter with the snake Maja the great rainbow boa, the king of the forest. They chant with sensual heat to describe the serpent's twinned endowment They praise their champion's knowledge of the potent secret rain forest pharmacopoeia and of her warrior skill with the deadly atl atl javelin They praise her knowledge of their oral tribal history, recounting foiled raids of the eastern cannibal Caribes and tell of defeated attacks of the northern Lucayos. They sing her songs of the sad western sacrifice of virgins on blood soaked stepped pyramids and the ritual drowning in deep cenotes of the Maya. They recite her tales of the wandering bandit Guis, Her accounts of the stealthy hunting Jibaros And of the ancients, those who predate the great flood. Then the women's heart and rhythm rate increases and the women singing voices raise still higher for they sing now of their champion's great loves They sing proudly of her triumphs amatorial and her hammock defeats of many men. Laughingly they mimic the snores of exhausted sleepers. Now that line of living female flesh and warmth, is almost at the sandy plaza of the Batey, to ready for the vigorous batu games, the sumptuous feast the erotic Areito dances, and the celebration of the joining. As the women's procession nears, the men beat louder on their drums. Responding, the women chant even louder Manikato! Manikato! Victory! Victory! ___________________________________________________ She, their chosen one, will steadfastly prevail! Manikato! Manikato! Victory! Victory! She will defeat the Cacique's power's tonight! That chose woman has stayed behind and now wanders back alone. Lost in thought, she the Taina Bride to be of a great Cacique Lord, moves naked and beautiful along the sun-warmed, sandy path. Today's prized bride walks fresh painted in oiled unguents. Red, and yellow and black symbols of loveliness are writ upon flawless, dark-coppered-golden skin. She is radiant with happiness for her marriage day is here. Today are the beloved games, feast, dance and joyous songs; tonight will bring great, almost endless, pleasure. She comes from her bath beneath great trees in a clear, warm stream, She comes from that riverbank where she has been prepared, adorned in vivid dyes, and richest scents for this so special day. Her thick clusters of long, straight locks, just a few minutes ago so wet, and heavy hot sun-dried now, toss loose, and soft and free. Hair strands float light over her shoulders. Thin filaments and wisps blow gently across her forehead. Clouds of black silk sway down to touch the deepest of her back. Deep blue highlights shine dance on the gloss of her raven hair. These highlights shine like the metallic azure of the tiny scales of butterfly wings. They reflect the intense pure light of tranquil turning heavens. Her spirit is free and ready. As white teeth smile, shapely long strong oiled limbs enhanced with lines of color, move as liquid, curved, and drivingly strong. High, full, red rouged breasts are rocking to her pace. And still remembering the freshness of her bath, in wide flushed areoles, her nipples point so tightly upward. A taunt belly with rounded muscles --outlined in the black of bloodwood dye-- is centered with a navel where a glowing amber jewel winks. Her flat belly nestles, as if an empty residence, upon a still wet pelvis, womanly and wide. Her face, is small and perfectly in its symmetry, The bright light of intelligence glows from her countenance, lit with generous courage and kindness and wildest love. A firm straight nose wrinkles slightly, as nostrils flair to take in each lung expanding slow deep breath. The little furrow below fills with tiny drops of perspiration. Her wide mouth is full, plump, and luscious. Her curving lips are in bright in bixa red. She smiles a dreamy, wickedly toothy look. High smoothly outlined cheekbones rise to make planes of light upon her face. A small strong triangular chin shows character and will. Full midnight brows arch to hood large, almond slightly slanted wide-spaced eyes; the beautiful eyes which the Tainos call mac. Long, delicate thick, lashes curl long and out and away from her eyelids to tremble as she moves. Tiny folds of dark and delicate skin wrinkle to her smile below. Large irises, float as jet spheres on wet, white, seas to focus afar on daydreams of passionate, vibrating, love. And this is her day, her story, her dreams and loves and fears. Ramon Valdez Guaba Copyright@2001, revised 2002, care of Larry Daley