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January 9, 2022

The Strength Of Great Trees Is Grounded In Deep Roots

Poet Lois Red Elk reminds that the obvious things we savor about place, wildlife and community have deeper underpinnings in the earth

by Lois Red Elk-Reed
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Sandhill cranes that have headed south to avoid the northern winter gather beneath a cottonwood tree whose final expression of color is reflected in the water. Photo courtesy Robert Dunn/Wikipedia
Sandhill cranes that have headed south to avoid the northern winter gather beneath a cottonwood tree whose final expression of color is reflected in the water. Photo courtesy Robert Dunn/Wikipedia

Hi MoJo Friends,

Happy New Year and Happy Solstice from out on the prairie.

These past few days here along Mni Sose have been extremely frigid, kind of like what i remember in the 40's and 50's. Those old stories of walking a mile to school in below freezing weather with the wing howling in your face ring true for me. No, they are not apocryphal tales.

I still love this weather, land and all the surprises it brings.

Besides deep dreaming and working on winter projects, this moon in our culture is the time for storytelling. I sat on the laps of some of the best storytellers and I remember hundreds of stories. Telling stories is how we stay together. It is how we learn about each other and how we stay connected. Some of my favorites were the Star Stories. I invite the readers to look up the story of the Star in the Cottonwood Tree.

I am constantly guided by the morals of stories and where they have led me in my life and writing.

Stay warm over there in the mountains and wherever these word find you.

All my best,

Lois
Tree Roots and Trunks, a painting by Vincent van Gogh (1890), artwork in the public domain and creative commons license through Wikipedia
Tree Roots and Trunks, a painting by Vincent van Gogh (1890), artwork in the public domain and creative commons license through Wikipedia

    Roots

by Lois Red Elk

        Roots are resting now, 
buried deep below the freezing line
          in prime loam, where
quantities of lineal growth 
      live in tiny strings extending to 
veins, to the Maka of 
beginnings,
          maturity, life, to a pulse deep 
under scattered cottonwood trees.
Language has translated 
      now to hear passages 
vibrating between Iyan and
           Mni, in support of Wagachan,
sometimes trickling 
then slowing into solid crystals
    like the river above. 
My dialect passes extant for dialogue 
         with dreaming branches, 
anxious for stories
collected among twig skins, 
         leaf lines, bark layers.  
I can now reconvene dream talk 
      with Wichahpi people who have 
been waiting for 
  Waniyetu to fill our 
plane, satisfy our human cycle.  
They are welcoming by 
     reminding my body 
          of their last story of travel, 
    to this camp, living
in trees to be close to humans.
      Star spirit aids by
refilling my spirit with 
          the S’kan S’kan of Maka.
They beg to hear the laughter and 
    joyous stories coming from 
             the children, the people.
         I close my eyes, 
        open chambers of Cante’
               give my rhythm to roots.
         ©Lois Red Elk

Mni Sosa—Missouri River
Maka—Earth
Iyan—Stone
Mni—Water
Wagachan—Cottonwood 
Wichahpi—Star 
Waniyetu—Winter
S’kanS’kan—Movement
Cante’—Heart 

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 


Make sure you never miss a Lois Red Elk poem by signing up for Mountain Journal's free weekly newsletter. Click here: https://bit.ly/3cYVBtK 



Lois Red Elk-Reed
About Lois Red Elk-Reed

Lois Red Elk-Reed is a poet who calls the high plains home. She is Mountain Journal's poet in residence.
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