Baggage

Some of us tried to bring the gods of the earth
across the sky to these red sands
but they would not leave
their deserts
their jungles
their holy cities and golden temples

Some hoped to trap their gods in books they called holy
carry them like caged crickets singing:
Luck! Luck!
but when they turned the pages
the words fell out like dried flowers
and blew away on strange winds

All was scattered.
We learned a lesson:
our gods promised to be everywhere
but they are not here.
We will find the gods of this place
who might have different ways of
doing things
and gain the wisdom of our new home.

The priests did not look for new gods
who might have different ways of
doing things.

They culled their memories
sang as though there was still
something to sing to
claimed visions of wishful desire
assumed all authority
punished those who disagreed

And soon the old gods
were as powerful as they had ever been.