Memories...
I was 19 when we first met. Newly arriving to my "real" family and excited to know you all. You were a little cutie boy. You often hugged me, and we were now brother and sister. Later, after I became engaged, you came to our engagement party in a strange exotic world to you. You were so curious but every few minutes, you'd show up at my husband-to-be's side and peer up at him earnestly, then you'd tell anyone near us, "I've never HAD a white brother before!!!!" The word "in-law" never occurred to you, to you, Greg is now "your brother." That was 1980.

We just lovingly laid you to rest the day before yesterday, July 21, 2020. You were only 48, the baby of the family which we all loved to tease you about. You teased us back, you'd often tell us "I don't have to grow up, Mom told me!" 

there are drums in the background
songs of power and light
your voice rings out beyond
you're joining in the night

laughter roars from the drum tent
you're all a breed of friends
sharing songs and stories
long past the pow wow's end

echoes up and down the river
stories will be told
how your songs held up the dancers
and how you never did grow old

glorious was your chuckle
you fought battles every day
proudly we stood by you
and watched you walk away.

there are drums in the background
songs of power and light
your voice rings out beyond
you're joining in the night.

RIP Luppa (Little Brother). You'll be missed. 

07/23/2020