Dr. Ophilia Zepata
spoke at tribal headquarters
Sells, AZ
she is the Shakespeare
of her people
creating a written language
where none existed
along with a literature
poetry
she reads alternately
in O'odham then English
the concept 'poetry'
doesn't have a name in O'odham
the closest words to it
translate as 'little things'
which I like
little things
my dogs are hungry
one watches intently
as littleflecks of kibble
rice & lamb
hits his bowl
he wants to dive right in
sometimes he does
prematurely
falling bits bounce off his head
scatter on the porch
to b picked up by birds later
little things
my other dog
his bowl placed
a scientifically measured
dog space distance from the other
moves his head
up & down
from bowl to pouring cup
does a dance
ropes of drool
peel off
with each upward
head bob
little things
I write code
using English words
letters
it has it's own poetry
a strict formalism & syntax
a human voice
an elegance
of transformation
motion
the program speaks the code
choreographs dance
of human & machine
little things
sahuaro blossoms
wax white as cloud gather
damn woodpeckers
tapping on sheet metal plates
poking holes in screen doors
early morning I chase rabbits
little things
when you are not around
my hands
they remembr you
