Guatemala is a land of trees
So the Mayans have decreed
Here I found a treasure spot
A time, a place that some forgot.

In Guatemala City, we descend
The Hotel Plaza, we attend
Lovely  casitas  of pink and blue
Doorways arched and fireplaces, too.

Early morning, and we arise
It is the nighttime that meets our eyes
From Guatemala to Flores early
On to Tikal, in such a hurry.

Pyramids hide under mounds
of earthen hills and trees so brown
For others to discover, come, and claim
For others to restore their fame.

So much like us they sit and wait
for an archaeological bride to excavate
The life thats  hidden under mounds 
of fears, frivolities, and frowns.

We search the glyphs for hidden stories
We sense the ancient land of glory
The lintels tell of people prior
 Cultures which teach us and inspire.

We climb the hills, the rocks, the ladders
We hang on tree roots to see what matters
We push our bodies to their limit
To reach the pyramid's golden summit.

Biodiversity is sought and found
All manner of life does abound
A bat, a bee, an ant, a tree
Magnificent birds surround and mystify me.

That night as I laid upon my bed
Howler monkeys filled my head
In a quaint, but spartan, thatched-roof shelter
I was enchanted by their chatter.

Morning comes and it's on to more
To San Andreas on a distant shore
A sundry band of 13 land
From the launcha to streets of sand.

A tiny village perched on a hill
With cobbled streets, gives us a thrill.
The welcoming committee turns out to be
A band of children and Miss Piggy.

With bags abundent, heavy, dreary,
We trudge the hills though we are weary.
Meeting  faces friendly filled with inquiry,
Our feelings not unlike Sir Edmond Hillary.  

A  papa proud--the principal of Biosphera
Delivers his charges to our families deara.
The family Cano is my new home
Close to the school but far from the Dome.

The school bell rings at eight o'clock
Every morning we climb to the top
Of  San Andrés' infamous hills
To test our mind, strength and will.

So much was learned, so much was seen
Food for thought, food for dreams
A world apart, a world away
Another time from a different day.

When essentials are the mainstay,
It seems much easier to simply say
that what's important is so clearly seen
when all frivolity is stripped clean.

This land is bereft of superficial luxury,
But filled with nature's ornate finery
Guatemala is a  land of trees
So the Mayans have decreed.

Edited by Carlos R. Solís