A Totum Pole Ode

. forever gazing cold, blazing eyes in the sky, where wings of the grain, have weathered many rains…. ~~~~~~~~~~~ deep, fluid etchings, carved in the wood, stetching high over the hood of earth… a thunderbird’s wings, perch a lofty plateau, above a graveyard of tales long ago… over years, the curious swell, enchanted by spell of legends dwelling here emerging from gold lands so far and near skin and bones through windswept loam thick with thistles, with courage and fear ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a river on their back and a cloak of home draped across shoulders in a world unknown ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ tears ran rivulets on the white man's ground drenched with forgiveness, from a crying sun and the eyes of time, from a tribe now gone ~~~~~~~~~~~ as wind spins, curls, and winds around the spine ~~~~~~~~~ of native vines... unfolding old tribal codes ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ stories are told with each turn of the pole... in the totum pole ode ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~