Like my grandma taught me....

I'm safe
in my circle of fire
I'm safe
in the darkness
away from mirrors
televisions and telephones

I'm alive
and my feet are burning
I'm running
barely touching the ground
I think I'm a cheetah
running in freedom
breathing in
breathing out
sailing through this labyrinth of dreams
leaving your maze of nightmares behind

I call the fire and the water
and Ogum and Iemanja
I gather all my Gods and Goddesses
take a strand of your hair
and cut a picture in half
light a candle
and dream in prayer
and burn copal
and breathe
and let go
with my necklace and charm
in a circle of fire
I'm alive
I'm protected
and with a bleeding chicken
I'm proclaiming a spell

There's no better shield than truth
and no better spear than words
The past is to mourn
the future is for you to repent
I'm protected
I'm alive
and the fire is burning
and I'm burning the yesterdays
the hours and moments and the seconds
the mementos and memories
in this cauldron of blame
I'm burning
I'm running
through the forest of dreams

I'm here
I'm sailing through this labyrinth
and yes, I'm tempted
and I trip and fall
and sin and lie
and use and borrow
and cheat and fight
and I'm protected
today and tomorrow
and tomorrow is today
and today I hide regret and truth
under this dark cloth
and all transparency is beginning to fade
I'm burning
I'm smoke
you can't see me
I'm your dreams
I'm putting things in different places
I'm changing stars
I'm erasing your path
I'm pushing this wheelbarrow of guilt
and pain
I'm swimming to fly
I'm hiding your rainbow
and I'm twisting your luck
bitter taste
rust in water
I am the poison
the snake
the ruin
the dirty water of your present
a black bird of sorrow
I'm your nightmare come true
and in your headaches
I'm alive
I'm protected
in a circle of fire

(patiently, we await)