Crazy Horse's Naming Vision
Crazy Horse's Naming Vision
by Michael R. Burch
Earthbound,
and yet I now fly
through these clouds that are aimlessly drifting...
so high
that no sound
echoing by
below where the mountains are lifting
the sky
can be heard.
Like a bird,
but not meek,
like a hawk from a distance regarding its prey,
I will shriek,
not a word,
but a screech,
and my terrible clamor will turn them to clay?
the sheep,
the earthbound.
Published by American Indian Pride and Boston Poetry Magazine
Tashunka Witko, a Lakota Sioux better known as Crazy Horse, had a vision of a red-tailed hawk and a crazily dancing and floating spirit horse at Sylvan Lake, South Dakota. In his vision he saw himself riding a shadow horse through a storm, as the hawk flew above him, shrieking. When he awoke, a red-tailed hawk was perched near his horse. Keywords/Tags: Crazy Horse, Lakota, Sioux, Native American, Translation, Indian, Vision, Visionary, Quest, Hawk, Eagle, Bird, Spirit, Horse, Shadow, Storm, Violence, War, Warrior, Warpath, Spiritual, Curly (his nickname before the vision)
***
What is life?
The flash of a firefly.
The breath of the winter buffalo.
The shadow scooting across the grass that vanishes with sunset.
?Blackfoot saying, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
***
Copyright © Michael Burch | Year Posted 2020
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