Lonna Blodgett Poet Narrative

Notes About The Poem

Glossary of Lakota Sacred Words:

Tiwahe - Lakota tribe known as the Standing Rock People

Iktinie - Lakota Sun Spirit

Iya' - The Snow Monster that brings ferocious winter

Capa - The Beaver Spirit of industriousness and hard work

Thipi - dwelling

Iwoblu - Severe winter storm

Aicita - The Ghost Messenger

Mathohota - The Grizzly Spirit

Wahupakoza - Bird Spirit

SunOthi - the Wolves Den

Sungmanitu - Wilderness Dog

Wankan Tanka - Buffalo, Great Spirit

Heyumka - Hard frost

Gleska Woayazan - Spotted Sickness (Small Pox)

Wichat A' - Epidemic

Zuya Whichsa -  Honored Warriors

Wanagi' - Spirit of Departed Souls

Hihankara' - The Owl Maker and Guardian of the Sky Road

Wasigla' - State of Mourning

AcheyA - To cry for the dead

 

 

The Last Winter of the Ghost Road

The death winter came and was cold
With white on the purple mountain
The Tiwahe’, the Standing Rock People
Begged for warm fires from Iktinie the Sun Spirit
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

Iya’ the Snow Monster had taken us farther to the south 
To follow Capa the Beaver Spirit
A long journey into early winter’s night
For there was much labor to keep warm in our Thipi’
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

When Iwoblu the Winter Storm whispered his cold story 
To the Aicita, the Ghost Messenger
She tricked Mathohota the Grizzly Spirit with her wailing
To haunt the sky with growling winds

The Wahupakoza escaped on icy feathers
Stirring the winds with their flight of fears
And within the SunOthi’ earth dens, the wolves
Sungmanitu’ howled with their starvation

The stone figured buffalo,Wankan Tanka’s blood was cursed
With ice and their coats were bitten with Heyumka
Mothers were caged in the hard frost, while their calves fell and died
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

Gleska Wowayazan, the spotted sickness, harvested our souls
We were prisoners of Wichat A’ the sickness that takes all
Our boldest warriors, Zuya Whichsa’ were taken from us
To follow the Wanagi’, the spirit of departed human beings
Far to the Milky Way to stand before Hihankara’ the judge of souls

We mourned and chanted for the loss of our children Wasigla’!
And the People of Standing Rock wept AcheyA’ in dreams
Of earth warmth and filled bellies of mothers and children
Our mouths were hungry and bodies were weak

It was the last winter of the ghost road
I am White Buffalo Calf Woman,
I am the keeper of words and I tell you now so that you will know

Edited reposted
April 27, 2022

Theme:  Life

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Constance La France March 2, 2021 at 3:24 PM Lonna, congratulations on your honorable in Carolyn's contest _Constance Lonna Blodgett March 12, 2021 at 3:28 PM Constance, thank you for the "congrats"!

Carolyn Devonshire March 1, 2021 at 11:48 AM Lonna, this is well written but exceeds the contest's limit of 8-14 lines. I let a couple extra lines go, but this needed to be shortened. Otherwise, I really enjoyed it! Best wishes, Carolyn Lonna Blodgett March 12, 2021 at 3:28 PM Thank you Carolyn. I appreciate your comment and kindness.