The Sacred Calendar

The Mayan Calendar called the Cholq’ij [in K’che’ language (Tzolkin in Yucatan Mayan language)] is an amazing work of accuracy and precision. Its exact origins are debatable although I think it may be the creation of the Mixtec Indians of the Oaxaca region. In 1996 I flew to Mexico for what was supposed to be a two week vacation. I first went to Bacalar in the Yucatan but soon moved to Oaxaca. I spent time later in Chiapas (mostly Palenque and San Cristóbal de las Casas) and Guatemala. Seeing the great pyramids in Tikal, Guatemala was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I was quite sick upon arrival and was having terrible bouts of diarrhea as I was walking the path to Temple No. 4. I was in the middle of bout of watery bowel movement in a quiet part of the rainforest. I was squatting, sweating, moaning and looking down. I had noticed before how Dung Beetles materialize out of nowhere when you leave a dump. I was watching for them, deeply trying to survive the pain. My neck was craned and hurt so I looked up and there it was: Temple Four -- the amazing temple that towers over the rainforest -- peeking its head out over the Ceiba trees. I finished my business and ran to it. Soon I was on top of it looking down over the rainforest. Then the strangest thing happened. I took a nap. I dreamed of Kings and Glyphs. The Mayan bug had bitten me. I spent the next few years living in Mexico and Guatemala, working for a newspaper company. I visited all the sacred sites I could and met curanderos, shaman, storytellers, linguists, and girlfriends. I learned from all of them. My awe for the temples and for the calendar has never died down. These poems are an attempt to express some of that awe.