SPEAKING THROUGH OUR NATIONS' TEETH

When you see me
for the first time
at a powwow or social
across the circle
we dance
in which language and worldview
do you form your first
impression.

the one you were taught
in school, memorizing epics
and heroes of other
people, diagramming
sentences with the precision
of a surgeon, driving
modifiers and prepositional
phrases beneath the horizon
like roots or
dead relatives
or both
or the ones you were taught
hiding beneath
your mother's dining room
table, where she
and her generation
forgot you were there and
spoke of the giant turtle, the twins
the grandmother moon said
"Je-oos eh, awk-r(h)ee aw(t)-ness"
to one another, laughing
without fear of you
learning and growing
this voice they thought
would only keep you behind


I listen for Cheweant; Skenno; She'kon;
Guuwaadze; Hensci; estonko; Booshoo;
Dal-leh; osiya; ready to bare these teeth
in a smile where we find ourselves
and each other.




                          Eric Gansworth






















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