Two poems by Margarita Engle

Taino Petroglyph

The Cuban Indian who carved
a frightened boy trapped in stone
gave him frog legs
and frog hands.

This was long before Spaniards
came along with lighthearted tales
of frog princes who could be whimsically
changed back into their natural shapes.

The stone boy has bulging frog eyes,
and gritted human teeth,
and the amphibian's ancient need
to be transformed.

His webbed hands and feet are splayed
against the surface of the stone
struggling to emerge
and swim, escape...

Baucis and Philemon

The visit
of traveling spirits
in search of hospitality
is such a simple
gift.

Old lovers
become trees
at our own
request.

We have no
need to explain
beyond this –
the choosing
of roots and leaves

shared water
shared sun.

Read Margarita Engle's bio and more at http://www.AuthorsDen.com/margaritaengle