EQUAL PEOPLE: THE POETRY EDITION
Morelia
Monarchs migrate there . . . but why?
This poem is a part of “Equal People,” Our Human Family’s anthology of international poetry on equality and inclusivity.
every winter
from November to March
millions of monarch butterflies
migrate to Morelia Mexico
it takes four generations of
monarchs to complete the journey
which means no butterfly ever
makes the same journey twice
I wonder why the monarchs chose Morelia
and how generations later
they know exactly where to find it
I wonder if their migration is genetic
if upon being born the first thing they feel
is the urge to fly south toward an orange forest
if their bodies are wired to leave
before they know why
when they cluster like fire around the trees in Morelia
people welcome their arrival as a blessing
if their flight is a miracle
I wonder how many die of thirst after the journey
if no one collects the bodies do they grow into the trees?
I wonder if the forests in Morelia
are one big graveyard and if the monarchs
just migrate to their dead
the interesting thing about Morelia Mexico is that
it was named after José María Morelos
a priest who was born in this land when
it still had its Spanish name of Valladolid
he’s the man who led the Mexican Revolution
after the execution of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
in 1815 Morelos was captured
tried and sentenced to death by the Catholic church
before he was executed they
defrocked him as a cleric
to avoid a public reaction they
executed him almost 200 miles from his home
he was last seen walking to the firing squad
praying
I wonder what he became after
he was no longer a man
I wonder if he asked God for
wings
if upon dying he became the first
butterfly fleeing back home
About the Poet
Jorge Quintana is a California-based creative. His work reflects his identity, sexuality, and spirituality as it aligns with the energy of this world. Working through psychedelic surrealism, Jorge’s work is imbued with a love taught by his ancestors and spirit guides. He hosts The Spirits in Poetry on iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Buzzsprout. Find him on Instagram @jorgequintanapoetry, or at jorgequintanapoetry.com.
