Hello MoJo Friends,
Greetings from my corner of the northern prairie.
It’ s been a long two months of healing, and the best medicine for me was the power of the Sun Dance. I was able to participate in two ceremonies this year. Just being among my own and the sincere rites shared was healing.
I am sending along two poems. the first, “Somewhere Between,” is from a book of mine titled Dragonfly Weather. It was written for a young relative Sundancer. I am coupling it with my new poem, “Where We Begin…” as an intro to a series of four poems that will appear in my new book.
During the sun dances this year, relatives invited me to participate in ceremonies where I was able realize the sacred power of collective prayer. It was good to experience
ceremonies that have existed since the beginning of time. They put life into a deeper perspective. Can’t say any more than that!
I hope this finds each of you well in heart and spirit.
Thank you for your prayers,
Lois
Somewhere Between
(for nephew Russ)
by Lois Red Elk
Somewhere between faith and
his cluster of
commitments, a common man
inhales love for
his people as he begins his flesh
sacrifice at the
sacred Sun Dance pole. He gulps
moisture from
humid air and lifts his prayers to a
southern wind asking
his dragonfly to use its speed and
take him quickly
to the world where vision is caught
in hope, where
sacrifice is recognized and his
weakness turns into
a victory over all that is negative.
The tethered ropes
hold firm jagged pieces
of his body,
his crying heart, and solemn words
for the 2-legged,
the children of mother earth. “This
dance is a thank
you for all that has been received,
and it is
a prayer that the people will continue.”
©Lois Red Elk
Where We Begin…
by Lois Red Elk
Dragonfly is sharing this story with me,
its red braided wings glow in the rays
for the descending light of the holy days.
He said he will hold back the rain, promise
thunder a thankful dance of skin sacrifice
where my virgin nieces shared their ultimate
gift of purity by giving a strike then lifting and
carrying the sacred tree to the space of eternal
worship. I can still hear nephews breathing their
exhale a soft lullaby of eagle whistles, their
dance a motion of earth pulse as they watched
the sun make its way to the point of shadow
where a soft dangle of cottonwood leaves
quiver in respond to the call of the coming
west wind. Thankful to be and to stand on that
holy ground, bare feet absorbing the rhythm
of united steps, wanting the drum to connect
this waiting, longing heart, a heart of creation
in the process of synchronizing, with all the
hearts present. My young, blood relative sang
for and of the sun with full knowledge of all
ancestors sharing their voices for his memory.
For eons we named the moons, timed the growth
of chokecherries for the height and heat of days,
living with revolving time to give thanks to this
moon, our sun, to open earth and inhaling winds.
And now we are here again to remember our
beginnings, our earth life, our promise to Spirit
where we begin our continued cycle of forever…
©Lois Red Elk
POSTNOTE : We are pleased that Lois is working away on a new collection of poems and will let you know when it is published. In the meantime, ask for her other volumes at your favorite local bookseller: Our Blood Remembers , winner of the best non-fiction award from Woodcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers; Dragonfly Weather ; and Why I Return to Makoce with a foreword from Montana’s recent state poet laureate Lowell Jaeger and nominated for a High Plains Book Award in poetry. Given headlines that continue to appear about the discoveries of new atrocities committed at boarding schools for indigenous children, we encourage you to read Lois’ contribution to MoJo that appeared in June, The Unspeakable Past Of Indian Boarding Schools
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