In the Yucatan – To Chichen Itza

by Godfrey J. Ellis – January 2003

In 2002, we visited Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Our guide called it “Chicken Pizza”). Merry only made it half way up the pyramid but Godfrey got all the way up and was treated to a magnificent view. This poem was started on our long bus trip and describes the journey to get there.

Nephite glory gives way to
Mayan decadence,
Which crumbles and flakes into
Mexican poverty.

Only the landscape remains unchanged and unchanging.
Twisted Flamboya trees with clumps of leaves,
Occasional palms,
Yucatan buttercups,
All stand guard over
Brown deadfall being swallowed by eager, lush grasses
In their January greens.

Already humid, hot,
Flatness spreads out around us.
Nature laughs at humans,
Outliving them,
Outlasting them,
Outfoxing them.

As we travel through hours of ageless scrub green,
Engine rumbling,
Road bumping,
Air conditioning blowing,
To Chichen Itza
To see what was.