Lady Xoc

Eighth Century, Mayan

You’re supposed to say shoke but I like shock.

Lady Shock.

Who drew a spiked rope through her
              offering tongue to
burn blood
              into the threads of bark paper, coax

              a smoke―

              so she could froth up
                            the Vision Snake…

Mouths.
              In this particular design 

              the Snake has two. The lower 

disgorges a warrior-god and the upper the ancestral
              general-king―

Two mouths: you’d think, 
              two opposite positions. You’d think she faced 

              a breaking choice: 

              Do/Don’t 
              Kill/

                            Save―
    
For wisdom she went to a fanged mouth,
              Lady Shock.

So she could answer 
              a trick question: man or god 

              of war―                            
                                    
I like
              how honest they were, the old

              tribes. 

Look how she kneels
              in tranced adoration, the long spear pointed 

              at her brow.