byLance Henson
sun,with the great seeing eye
when you move westward today, over my wife and baby,
speak softly of seeing me
and my sickness for them and for home
anonymous prisoner
cheyenne,fort marion florida 1870there is always someone missing
a horse wandering near a river
a grey egrets flying shadow
crossing over the water
it is here
the redbird hiding near fort robinson
where crazy horse stands in the shadowsit is here where it is done
the singing for life
without ears two coyotes hang upside down
on a fence near darlington agencythe veho world made this
they know nothing else
a faded remnant of red blanket
on a barbed wire fence near sand creekit flutters in the prairie wind
for one hundred thirty two yearsremembering
they walked into a north wind
bitten by despair and frozen raineach of them
looking back
throwing their hearts toward us
it was a whiskey dream
the medicine was a scattered light
I could not reach youyou were standing all around
without a face
worn thin of dreams
the cold air arriveswe light the old fires
who will speak for us
cedar scent all around
little fingernail said it
now we rememberwe remember
a bird has flown out of my eyes
its voice is made of the whirlwind
who can see the sound that follows them
can see forever
it is a good day to live
I burn this leaf shape
I burn this silver sage
I burn this red cedarin a sacred way
the smoke is made of life
my medicine has grown strange and wild
let me pass
I am taking care of you dog soldier song