BOJADOR

this is where your maps show only dragons walk the continent
this is where your devil rides the waves
this is where your maps say the names of places stop
year of your lord 1434 south of bojador

prince henry is a man with too much time on his hands
prince henry is a man who wants to live forever
prince henry told his men sail cross that time honored line
prince henry’s men knew better turn back at bojador

this is where the sun rains fire on the earth
this is where your blood will boil
this is what we’ve tried to send as message north
you are not ready to explore south of bojador

prince henry is a man who won’t be thwarted in his fancy
prince henry sent his men back out
prince henry’s men returned with a rose of mary
proof of a gentle land south of bojador

this is where the fruit grows thick upon the trees
this is where we lived with our families
but when you picked the rose of mary africa began to bleed
this is how the blues will be born conceived south of bojador

spring 99 New Orleans
© myshkin 1999