THE VITALITY

My Spirit is the cadence and hue of:
a song of white dawn
the flame of yellow noon sun
the red blood of twilight
the cedar smoke of black night sky

My Spirit is the elemental
old growth forest of cedar
a coyote howl of the west wind
a wild fire born of lightning
a dazzling white shell cloud

My Spirit has
hair of pounded cedar bark
and phosphorescent eyes that
sees in a starless night
My Spirit
guards my sleep against ghosts
and loves me when I forget myself

My Spirit's first word was "seagull"
and didn't back down when I abandoned myself
and the smell of whiskey and angry shouts
chased me through incessant mazes of dreams

My Spirit carried the souls of my people
When I ran away to forget
We scrubbed my face with tears
And dried my eyes with laughter

My Spirit says I can walk alone at night
Though I sleep with a night light
My Spirit found the lair of the enemy
and chewed off his tail to tie on my braid

My Spirit calls me "Celestial Lady"
But secretly named me "Story Weaver"
My Spirit taught me songs for wealth
Then made me give away everything, even the spoons

My Spirit painted my face with red earth
and black charcoal from the fiercest fires
My Spirit burned my dreams with apocalyptic terror
Then gifted me petroglyphs of prophecy

My Spirit signed peace treaties
My Spirit escaped into legend
My Spirit survived on the reservation
outliving alcohol, drugs and smallpox blankets