Yesterday Children

It is the time of El Niño a season ruled by superstition and fear The rain is long in coming the ground has cracked up dry The ricestalks are thin and sickly Villagers go hungry And a boy dies from a snakebite The adults splinter Some pray Others join a cult to appease earth spirits and wait for the ada the ricefield spirit goddess of bountiful harvest who dances naked on moonlit nights and signals the need for a virgins sacrifice There are fence sitters equally prochurch and procult A landlords steward enforces his masters usury on hapless farmers A selfrighteous priest says rain must first be deserved Two young women fight for the right to do with their bodies as they please A bastard boy and a blind girl come of age Yesterday they were children