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Nine Poems about Events in the Mantaro Valley of Peru (In Spanish and English)

Arts Entertainments

October 3, 2022 0

1) The Chullos of the General

General Avelino dressed the llamas with chullos (hats), and his soldiers with feminine skirts–and deceived the Chilean invaders, as they killed them: one by one, in the War of the Pacific, in the Andes, in the Valley of the Mantaro from Peru.

Note: #1431 8-19-2006; Inspired by Marissa Cardenas, from the Carreo newspaper, during my Interview on 8-192-2006.

2) The Winds of August

the winds of august

in Huancayo,

In the Mantaro Valley–

and all its municipalities:

Guty can be–

(With his physical progress);

A time to fly kites,

To rest in meadows, parks

And along the banks of the Rivers:

Feel its vitality, like the winds

Blend in with the sun.

#1428 (Dedicated and inspired by: Rosa Pentaloza de Siluk, while walking along the path, in Huancayo, 8-18-2006.

3) “Bullfight in the Avelinos

party”

The bullfight at the annual festival of Avelionos, in August, in San Jerónimo de Tunan, Peru, is very different from others I have seen.

The Horns sound, and the bull-beasts run from the corral to the Plaza del Toro; hundreds of guests in the bullring, jumping up, and over, and behind the fences–;

As the Avelinos dance, they wave and stumble through the bullring maddened.

#1430, 8-19-2006; written on the bus, on the way back from the bullfight, at the party, around 5:15 p.m.; crammed into this little bus, it was a feat to write anything.

4) The Dance of the Chonguinada

(From the Feast of Avelinos)) 1879’1883))

The Chonguinadas dance like pelicans, with their wings outstretched, with decorative fabrics (skirts, capes and jewels, old coins all attached to their suits; black and white hats, a feather stuck in their side; then they dance through the streets with their foreheads up high, smiling, giving life to everything, beer in hand, mocking with flashes of snobbery, gestures at the Spaniards, of those distant days, of the War of the Pacific.

Note: #1427 8-18-2006, partly inspired by Basilia Bonilla.

5) Watch the birds fly

My feet swing, slowly, now on the ground;

My torso pulls hard against my thighs,

Sometimes when I see birds fly

on–

From the windows of my apartment

house–(in huancayo)

A white and blue sky below them…

Seems like I have less to say, maybe

thinking

(As they would like to think)) yes

They could))

Thinking: soon we will leave; thus,

We’re moving slowly now (both me and them)

Or not at all))

Of our abode?

Note: written in my apartment on a Monday morning; 8-21-2006, #1435.

6) Huancayo Pancakes

darkness of the sky

had gone down to the city

garbage filled gutters

(Still to clean up from Sunday’s party)

The streets are still full of bodies….

The night still full of noises–,

Flashing faces among the arc lights,

Dogs cursing each other–

Fighting for leftovers

Sunday feasible (along the street of the market);

You could hear the sounds of garbage

Mixed with ivory shock

Teeth of steel (gnashing)! …

Mad dogs, who no longer play;

Women, children getting out of his way.

“A pancake please!” so says my wife, like

We sat on two of the five stools

In this little street cafe–

“Coffee, please,” I add.

And there we sat, strangers and all

(In this small cafe, overlooking the sky of

Huancayo)

And we talk about the beauty of the city

and Peru,

And all that stuff strangers talk about, at 7:00 PM–

(we have dark sunday night).

This is what life is made of (I tell myself

looking around),

strangers becoming friends

Drooling coffee and pancakes

At 7:00 p.m! …my toes in sandals

Touching a huge block of cement,

No great consolation, just escaping

for now.

Note: 8-20-2006, the Huancayo Pancake is fried, and it looks round and big like elephant ears; and when cooking in the hot fat it bubbles and fries to a dark brown color.

7) The amuc and the opium eater

shard of darkness

over the horizon

(over the Andes)

melts as it descends

Tangible shadows creep

floating in the middle

Like the Amuc, it disappears

like flickering sparks

Of light…dancing back and forth–

with its iron wings

Ebony–.

They cover the sky at twilight

As far as the eye can see!

Then dig a hole in the ground

and down

while looking at me

There was a whirlwind

Chaotic strokes with swards

As the Amuc sank–

Heal to the head, sank

Down in the heart of the earth

then i was puzzled

Wondering what the outcome would be

It all happened so fast

unable to remember

of conscious thought

But here they descended to the rocks

how i got hit

in my skull

and get high

In his hole.

Note: #1425 8-25-2006 (The Amuc are the little people of the Andes–, perhaps corresponding to the fairy, or goblin. The Amuc live in the Andean mines of Peru–mostly; partly inspired by Papa Augusto.

8) The mighty sore foot

The foot, the foot, the foot

It can be a powerful thing

The foot, the foot, the foot

Support everything.

But when it hurts

One seems powerless.

The foot, the foot, the foot:

And that’s another thing!

8-12-06, written in the Mantaro Valley, in Huancayo, Peru. o1421

Dedicated to Mary Sophie (nine years old), for massaging my sore feet and plunging me into the water;

Spanish version

huge foot pain

The cake, the cake, the cake

It can be a huge thing

The cake, the cake, the cake

Support everyone.

but when you’re in love

One seems powerless.

The foot, the foot, the foot.

And that’s another thing!

August-12-2006, written in the Mantaro Valley, in Huancayo, Peru.

Dedicated to Maria Sofía (age nine), for giving me a rub for my foot pain, and removing it in water.

9) The Wanka:

And the Ruins of Arwaturo (from Peru)

(Urpurampi and the God Huallallo Carhuancho)

Overlooking the Laguna Ñahuinpuquio

from the top of the mountain

Where he lives

the ruins of arwaturo,

one can visualize the Wanka…

walk, talk, rule and store their grains:

cloths, corn, potatoes, olluco and masgua

(storing them in barns, the imposing ancient ruins)

next to and within this Valley-region, of beauty–.

Here the dark breath, which remains

under the belly of the rain clouds

are sucked up to and over the tops of the mountains,

within their throats and crevices,

making shadows on her breasts.

This is the land of the Wankas.

Cultural Comment: The Wanka culture was founded by Urpurampi, and the God was Carhuancho, in the Mantaro Valley Region. They used to sacrifice the dog, after the sacrifice of the dog, they ate it. The dog’s skull was used as a horn during the war. The culture predates the Inca culture. The Wankas were warriors, and used spears and shields, also clubs, and slingshots (as used by King David); and they were rebels seeking their freedom. They took advantage of the rain to grow many fruits and vegetables in their valley regions. They also had herds of llamas and alpacas: from these two animals they made sandals there. Arwaturo, the name of the ruins, means: ‘burnt bones’. The Wanka culture dates from 800 AD to 1400 AD The Arwaturo ruins, which I have climbed, are about 11,318 feet high.

Dedicated to Cesar Segura (of TV Cable), Joseito Arrieta (of Radio Sabor Mix) and Diego Veliz (2006–Candidate for Mayor of Huancayo, Peru)) (No: 1422; 8-13-2006; written after visiting the place .))

Spanish version

The Huancas

And The Arwaturo Ruins (from Peru)

(Urpurampi and The God Huallallo Carhuancho)

Looking from above the Laguna Ñahuinpuquio

From the top of the mountains

Where he lives

The ruins of Las de Arwaturo, one can visualize the Wanka … the walk, the conversation, the rule, and the storage of their grains: cloths, grain, potatoes, olluco and masgua (storage of them in granaries, the towering ruins old ) next to and within this region of valley, of beauty-.

Here the dark – they breathe, which rests below the venus of the rain clouds are sucked up and over the tops of the mountains, into their gorges and crevices, casting shadows on their breasts. This is the Land of the Wankas.

Overlooking the Laguna Ñahuinpuquio

from the top of the mountain

Where he lives

the ruins of arwaturo,

one can visualize the Wanka…

walk, talk, rule and store their grains:

cloths, corn, potatoes, olluco and masgua

(storing them in barns, the imposing ancient ruins)

next to and within this Valley-region, of beauty–.

Cultural comment: The Wanka culture was founded by Urpurampi, and God was Carhuancho, in the Man – taro Valley Region. they used to sacrifice the dog, They after the sacrifice of the dog, they ate it. The dog’s skull was used for a horn during wartime. The culture precedes the Inca culture. The Wankas were warriors, and used spears and shields, also clubs, and slingshots (as King David used); and they were the rebels who sought their freedom. They take advantage of the rain, growing many fruits and vegetables within their valley regions. They also had herds of llamas and alpacas: of these two animals, they made sandals there. Arwaturo, the number of the ruins, middle: ‘the burned bones. The Wanka culture changed from 800 AD to 1400 AD. The Arwaturo wreck, from which he climbed, I rise about 11,318 feet.

Dedicated to Cesar Segura (of Cable TV), Joseito Arrieta (of Radio Sabor Mejora) and Diego Veliz (2006 candidates for Mayor of Huancayo, Peru)) (No. 1422; 8-13-2006; written after a visit to the place.))

Here the dark breath, which remains

under the belly of the rain clouds

are sucked up to and over the tops of the mountains,

within their throats and crevices,

making shadows on her breasts.

This is the land of the Wankas.

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