Purple hues…

This song was heard from long before
Quietly wafting across the land
Beautiful notes created with love
And melodies written with gentle hand

She gathered together those whom she loved
To sing with her was a pleasure
Smiles and laughter no matter the pain
These are the moments we treasure…

Twinkles of humor shining like opals
Purple hues a shawl for her spirit
Wisdom arose from tablets of paper
And wrapped her words up in it…

So there sits the drum in silence
awaiting the next generation of rain
Those she taught will soon gather there
That her teachings would not be in vain.

Colors blended from the sun and flowers
Strength ripples through purple hue
Somehow we knew to listen with awe
This song will forever be true…

06/22/09 smg

walking away...

I didn't walk away from you,
I stayed where there is growth
I didn't turn my back on you,
I turned towards the Light.

Here is where the gentle scent of tules
beckons for strong woven cords
the brightly colored beads lend themselves
to the sturdy sinew for necklaces
lovingly chosen to be worn with THIS dress for the memorial or naming
or funeral...

there's the song - do you hear it?
if you close your eyes you can see the old ones weeping
for the sheer joy the song brings forth
hum with me now, you'll see why I stay...

you call me away from here
would you pull my roots from this ground
and plant me in that place so loathed?

Prayer for My Brother, The Bear by Chief Dan George

O Great Spirit who listens to all
I speak for my brother the bear.

Make the moon shine softly during the nights of his childhood
So that the warmth of his mother will always be in his memory.

Make the berries grow in abundance and sweetness
So that the vigor of life will strengthen his heart

And the years of old age shall never be a burden to his body.
Let the wildflowers refresh his temperament
So that his manner will always be carefree.

Give his legs swiftness and strength
So they will always carry him to freedom.

Sharpen the senses of his ears and nose
So they will always keep harm from him.

Let only those men share his path who in their hearts
Know his beauty and respect his strength so that he will
Always be at home in the wilderness.

Make men praise life so that no one needs to feel the shame
That lives in a heart that has wronged.
Then my wild brother, the bear, will always have a wilderness,
As long as the sun travels the sky.

Oh, Great Spirit, this I ask of you for my brother, the bear.



Note: Many in my family and among those I love are bear people...when I saw this I wanted to share it with these in particular: Heyoomakin; Heyuum Asa Ki; Heyuum; Hume-tukalalilt; and all of my bear relatives whom I love so dearly.

you might call them weeds...

blithely walking by, bits of sunshine underfoot...dandelions glory; remember the class? Here's what the books say: Dandelion inflorescences are yellow, up to 2 inches in diameter, and appear to be solitary. They are borne on hollow stems that can grow up to 20 inches long, and held above the foliage. The inflorescences ripen to become round "puffballs" of wind-dispersed seeds. Flowering period is from early spring to late fall.
They fail to mention the dainty curled wisps of sunshine dancing out of the deep yellow strength...nary a word about the bold green hollow stem rising from the hunter green foliage...
Do you wonder sometimes how you could have walked by such a performance without so much as pausing to tip your hat?

In southern Oregon where I spent my youth there were foxgloves in abundance, delicate purple bells inviting bumble bees to feast...


All of this pondering is due to this fact: I am not the judge and jury...if I work with someone I deem "weed" I just need to remember there's SOMEONE out there who thinks of this person as their dandelion or foxglove...or nettle (smile).



I find that I love the weeds with their flowers as much, maybe even more than I love garden flowers although I've tried a few times to raise my own little patch of pansies and so forth...

Nigella?

I am a Nigella What Flower Are You?

"Many people think you are just a little bit odd, but you consider yourself just a little eccentric. You find new experiences exciting and fulfilling."

It's kinda true...