Tochitli 

A poem by Che Shul

Tochtli, what happened to you?

back from the liquor store again
customer of the year 
what a shame with all those kids
he sure does love them
that liquid courage

banned from ancient society
now free to drink yourself to death
everyday
under the moonlight

they were once warriors
400 warriors
countless warriors 
drinking from their sacred mother 
Mahaguey
celebrating sacred holidays

consumption used to be a calculated arrangement with the sacred
now it’s an easy trip to the store

que te paso?
what happened to you?
Tochtli
I remember when you jumped into the fire
sacrificed yourself
for our humanity 

Now the pulque monster got you 
no shame in your drunken game
your boldness has slapped you in the face
dimmed your brightness
to that of the moon
(to that dark blueness under the moon)

Tochtli, what happened to you?

“This poem was inspired by the rabbit (tochtli) from my Mexica culture. I tried to express the loss of our ancestor’s honorable culture and sacred understanding of tochtli” -Che Shul