the fossil record

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#30

 

 

Romantic Mission Lands
 

I cannot tell you what the missions were like or unlike.  I cannot tell you what the romantic is like or unlike.  I cannot write like, what life was like, lifelike, or even describe the mission or the romantic. 
 
The missions walked up the coast.  Missions were on cross-shaped foundations.  Missions were marked.  Missions were on the map. 
 
The romantic was pleased with voluntary pain.  The natives were not like animals.  The animals are problematic for the romantic.  They did not know anything about the animals or those who were not animals.  There were plants.  Some plants were native and some plants were not indigenous.  Some plants were romantic.  Part of the missions were planted.  The plants are on the map.  They conquered them, they conquered those.
 
Then they changed them.  They changed their likenesses and the language used to tell, used to like, used to make life. 
 
sombrero        squash
adobe                opossum
alligator        moose
hammock        hickory
plaza
 
Travel is an act of definition.
 
 


—Catherine Daly