2 March 2002 | Vol. 2, No. 1

Pictures of Conquistadors

Arms over shoulders,

Jesus and Christopher lean close

Together, tiny fists

Clamping tight on plastic

Swords, their gold

Breastplates made more golden

By the overexposed film. And me,

With my toothless snarl,

Betraying the levity of a homemade

Conquistador helmet, two

Sizes too large. Even then

I knew how tough