Meeting Cortez

He rose like a beast
vomited out of a cloud
and held a flat stick as long
as a lesser god’s penis.

It had a shine
like lifting water.
When I wanted to touch it
and did, it cut my hand
and taught a lesson.

It said, "Run!"
It said, "Fly!"
It said, "Hide!"
It said, "Think," and I thought
of the rivers of blood
inside my body

as I fled
screaming, "No!"
and he followed
without a word.