Edgar Gabriel Silex: The Planting of the Blue Corn

after the fields are planted
and the blue corn seeds are nestled
in the red earth     after the Corn Planter
has put away his sacred planting stick
he says a prayer to the quiet air
that hovers above the lines
marking the seeded fields

and then the wind puts on
its dancing moccasins and begins
to swirl     to spin above
the cleared and pregnant naked land
brushing up the red dust
from its grounded desert feet

and together they begin a choreographed
whirling and swinging
like little tornados pirouetting
together they marionette above
the corn rows     and the clouds

wishing not to be left out
begin to clap in rhythm
to the thrum of the rustling
sage leaves     and everyone
starts dancing in the dust of happiness

the mountains and the trees rattle
with the increasing crescendo
of the clapping clouds and the tumbleweeds
start rolling in a joyous laughter
and the clouds     too     begin to laugh
until their joyous tears fall
sending everyone scurrying away

from the planting festival below
and the dust lies back down
and the wind blows away
in search of other pregnant fields
and the rain falls
and the blue corn shoots
begin to grow

©1995, Edgar Gabriel Silex. From Through all the Displacements, Curbstone Press. Included in Vox Populi by permission of the author.

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Hopi Blue Corn