tio juan

juan vilca (may 13, 1946
- october 3, 2021)

a peruvian man
lived close to the earth
& smelled
the sea

the clouds hold
no secrets for him
& he is a friend
to the sun

the blood of the land
feeds his veins

he squeezed the center
of the earth
with his two bare hands
& distilled pure
love

& so he found
his extraordinary
japanese woman
& loved her
for his life

as he loved
his family––

every one
of them––

& held them
together
like the force
of gravity

he worked hard––
like a master––
attentive every
second

his laughing smile
comes straight
from the heart
& will never
leave us