Home » Poems » Stephe Watson » Illahee: Awenasa, Mahkah

Notes About The Poem

The title of the poem is: Illahee. Awenasa, Mahkah. Or, ‘Earth. My Home, Earth.’ In the languages of, Chinuk Wawa, Cherokee, & Sioux respectively.

This offering is from my First People’s Pooretry writings wherein I intend to open to the Medicine, the Mind, and the Spirit of those who understood this world in sacred, spiritual, and symbiotic ways.

Illahee: Awenasa, Mahkah

Illahee.  Awenasa, Mahkah.

The lesson Momma taught me
(which momma never taught me)
was -

No, is.

To not be angry.
To endure your pain.
To let be as things be.
To not multiply your pain
by fletching and loosing blame.
Bend the bow into a bow,
offer connection.
Seeing.
Welcoming.

The lesson Momma taught me
(which momma never taught me) 
was -

Notice.

Endure the theft of self by other.
Endure ignorant and ignoring.
Endure the losings of the way.

Support it all.
Support it all.

Offer flowers where you can.
Feed the trees.
Carry the herd.
Invite the flock.
Wait with the stones.

One day one will listen.
One day one will see.

Will that one be one being?
One culture?
One day?

One may one day One.

Endure.
Support.
Offer, Feed, Carry, Invite...
Wait.

The lesson Momma taught me.
Wordlessly.
Unceasingly.
Inerrantly.
(Which Momma never taught me, ‘cuz Momma doesn’t do.)

Know this.

To earn, to see, to receive these the lessons.
Is on us.
Our active offering to the Great Receptive.

Listen.  Love.  Learn.
One may one day One.
One day no one will have won.
One may one day One.
Listen.  Love.  Learn.

earthenvironmentnative americannaturefree verse

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