drop in gold

gold drains cover the remnants of
ancient ducks, unable to breathe
the old man who sells his land
and becomes a spectator in his own family
is also patronized in what looks like gold

covered, he preserves his family
and so covers them entirely in gold
because to him they are worth the extreme
resale of his own farm as extreme, he's criticized
by people not in his shoes
who with nicer shoes sold their farms first
but did not cover every possession with gold
not like this man.

The man decides gold later is too heavy
and that if you were born on the land you remained
because dappled in gold you inveigh enough
no one will contest your rightful claim
with land at a premium it's not surprising
an easy way for business grads and success
by marketing and involved alchemy:
of human flesh + gold bones

one explanation for Maya infidelity is gold, fate
since its glow was first shown irresistible
by Spanish invaders, the Maya were exposed
vulnerable to fancy, being wooed by beards that loved gold
they first put their feet in, and wet, sunk deep into gold ponds
and were soon stuck and carried home, they remained
lack backs, European muscle not being impressive

the Maya struggled on their land, as theirs
as the statues indicate pride until Spain
Finally, with a move to rid Mexico of gold
arrived in ships instead of muscle to cart home
obstinate artifacts staking the jungle possessions

once on the continent the statues treasures
were put in towers, stored, patted
behold these relics, statues of warriors, our riches we found
while occupying a small terrain.
Most used the language they had
and some sang or built storage units
keep the gold away from subjects increases its value

But the Maya ingenuity created calendars, astronomy
left behind, unready to surrender to a wooden boat
plotting a course for populated cities whose little regard
is a great place for vengeance, where no one expects
a few armed soldiers smelting to bring down a nation
because – the township opines – the union is soft
and incongruent with colonization and puppet regimes

so Maya, tight in the hold, patient to destabilize
Europe's method economy, the Dutch bankers
sold the idea Spain keep the gold abroad
charged interest, a win/win, but Spain between gasps
sputters to kneel, because Maya gold now liquid
there now phalanxes of Maya warriors disguised as gold
Coat Europe, gold went cheap, the Dutch smile.