FEROCITY

JUAN PONCE DE LEÓN

Puerto Rico, 1511

My sword.

Shiny metal.

My armor.

Glittering wishes.

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I seize men, women, and children

to work in the mines, but some dive into rivers

and twirl away

as swiftly

as dolphins …

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No matter, here are more.

I’ll always find enough men, women, and children

to enslave, people to slice hills and mountains

in search of gold, silver, copper,

and jewels.