Visitation by Cybele Garcia Kohel

 

La Virgen materialized to me- Me!

on a car bumper a medallion of divinity

appeared

where a US Army Seal had been

small

but not impotent

I recognized her right away

cherubs at her feet

blue gown rippling in the breeze

faint scent of roses

lingering

what was I supposed to do?

stop the car? follow the bumper?

or get a selfie of me n’ la Madre?

what is

the appropriate etiquette

for

a Visitation?

 

then la Madre turned to me

all fierceness y con pilas

“Meja, watch where you’re going!” she said

the light had turned, suddenly

I took my eyes off her

long enough to brake

looked back…

and she was gone

 

leaving me wondering

 

¿y ahora, que?

 

—————————————————————————

 

Moon’s Shadow by Cybele Garcia Kohel

 

tie my life to the Moon’s shadow

tell my life by the Moon

proper be pleased

proper be damned

it’s the moon’s whose is,

I am

 

her buxom breadth

her waning flow

true comfort

in this wicked world

 

no metered light

burns quite as bright

surpassing even this mortal’s toil

 

bygones been gone

and the moon shines on

 

in the end it’s with her tide

 

I go

 

 

About the Author: Cybele Garcia Kohel is a poet living in Pasadena, California. Born in Puerto Rico, she writes about life through the many lenses provided by her diverse background, Generation X upbringing, and the streets of Los Angeles. While her journal and pencil await daily at her desk, she is busy supporting non-profits with grant writing and capacity building. You can read her work in Vine Leaves Journal Issue #15 (2015), These Fragile Lilacs Poetry Journal the Women’s Voices Issue (June 2017) and the Altadena Poetry Review (2017, 2018).