That long procession of years has passed
centuries have painted colonial aggression
filled with slave-owning seasons of conquest
like buccaneers wading ashore in my native land.
The Spanish influence surrounds the spectrum
everywhere in style or setting of the mainland
there’s the past where you can trace back
the world ambitions of Spain over us.
As European powers emerged with insight
faith was integrated in their quest for light
along with plundering riches from the southeast
a clear imprint in the labyrinth of human mindset.
Religion has been the cause of struggles
among the natives who insisted their own
sporadic wars were like flavors for each season
death in the graveland howling to halt killing.
As players in the colonial chess game
they shattered our sense of worth as persons
though evangelization was part of their mission
cruelty in between played the major role.
Like onion and lemon concoction
faith was imposed in the context of oppression
the irony and contradiction of being holy
their source and means were relics of pain.