The Ojibwe
^^^^^
My people, the Ojibwe, fierce and strong
A people of stories and myths and knowledge
On birch bark scrolls and stones their history told
And I, a mere Ojibwa girl, write stories . . .
The early Canadian explorers wrote of our warriors . . .
". . . strong arms held bows, arrows and clubs,
their bodies tattooed in various fashion and design,
faces painted and noses pierced, majestic feathers"
Eventually, they stole our lands . . .
So, I tell my stories, I dream my dreams of a time past . . .
There
Upon a sheer and rocky cliff
The Appaloosa horse of many colors stands majestic
There
Under the blazing blue sky
An Ojibwe warrior looks at me with great love
There
In the air and wind that roars
His feathers earned in acts of bravery quietly move
There
Nestled in his strong arms
My turquoise and glass beaded dress sparkles in the sun
There
Below the Ottawa River thunders
The vast lands of Canada stretch to the horizon
There
Above in that perfect sky
Eagles soar together as a symbol of Ojibwa unity
There
In the imagination of an Ojibwa girl
The only sound the wind that moves those feathers
Today, the majority of First Nation still live on reservations . . .
_________________________
May 24, 2013
Poetry/Narrative/The Ojibwe
Copyright Protected, ID 05-480-540-24
All Rights Reserved, 2013, Constance La France
Written for the contest, Your Nationality
sponsor, Nathan D, Judged, 05/30/2013
Second Place
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