sleeping woman, smoking man
watch over Tenochtitlan
once young lovers, warring clans
left their families, spurned their lands
princess, warrior grasping hands
fleeing parents’ cruel demands
night falls quickly, need to camp
snow falls quicker, cold and damp
morning wakens, princess can’t
warrior panics, time is scant
light a fire, warm her feet
melt the clinging, frosty sheet
searching party finds them there
draped in snow and brave despair
white smoke rising like a prayer
gods smile on the love they share
frozen lady, snow-capped man
sentinels of Aztec lands
© 2019 Leo Durrant
Author’s Note
Iztaccihuatl (the White Lady) and Popocateptl (the Smoking Mountain) are two volcanoes just south of Mexico City. The Aztec legend says they were young lovers from warring tribes who eloped. The snows came and froze her while she slept. He lit a fire at her feet to warm her. That fire still smokes today.