Sunday 23 October 2011

Bound to Place by Vivian Faith Prescott

Children know haa áan—our land,
ways-of-knowing. Language binds them
to place, my incantations. Fish spawning
in streams, bear cubs birthing in dens.
Children, a seasonal calendar, interwoven.

Daughter born during the Child Moon—Dís yádi

Daughter in the Black Bear Month, S’eek dísi

..............Month-When-Black-Bear-Cubs-Are-Born

Another daughter born in At gadaxit dísi

.............The-Birth-Moon-When-Animals-Give-Birth

Son born in At gadaxit yinna dísi—the Breeding Month.

This animal landscape.





Vivian Faith Prescott, Alaska, USA

4 comments:

Carol Steel said...

How touching and poignant!

TJ said...

Wow, like, totally beautiful. Totally.

http://odontaspisferox.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

lovely cadence. spirit names pairing with each of us, interweaving. stirring!

sherry o'keefe

CMDoran said...

Children know....many adults have forgotten this beautiful relationship...thank you for writing...lovely language