"Beautiful Heart"
Miikawaadizi
Kindhearted, thoughtful, courteous, trustworthy
Daughter of Jacqueline and Conrad (address Heaven)
Lover of my Ojibwa grandma, beloved husband, and baby boy (gone)
Who feels blessed by God, blessed with words, and with good memories
Who fears floods, wild winds, and earthquakes
Who would like to see no wars, justice for First Nation People's, no prejudice
Resident of this great big wonderful World
Ode
I have a really precious kitty cat by the name of Snuggles Kitty,
she is so soft and fluffy- she purrs all the time and talks a lot;
I have to admit she is like my child and makes me feel good,
she sleeps, she plays, she meows and she is sort of naughty !
Categories:
ojibwa, me,
Form: Bio
Today I’m thankful for the Ojibwa…
whose simple prayer…this simple verse
Could, if heeded by all of us
change the destiny of our universe…
For they know, as I wish we knew,
how everyone is our sister and our brother
And if we were all taught love, compassion and honor
we have a chance not only to heal the Earth
but also…to heal each other.
Categories:
ojibwa, thanks,
Form: Rhyme
Fluttering, drifting
to and fro it soars
it dances in the mighty wind
it twirls, it swirls
There
upon a sheer jagged rocky cliff
an Appaloosa horse of many colors stands majestic
There
under this blazing azure sky
an Ojibwa girl looks at the beautiful land of Canada
There
in the mighty wind that roars
a feather lost from her raven hair, quietly moves
There
far below the Ottawa River thunders
and the vast lands of wilderness stretch to the horizon
There
above in a perfect sky
eagles soar, symbolizing "The Peoples" strength
There
in my spirit dream
the only sound is the wind that moves my feather
Fluttering, drifting
to and fro it soars
it dances in the mighty wind
it twirls, it swirls
______________________
March 21, 2023 (Repost)
Poetry/Free Verse/My Feather
Copyright Protected, ID 03-1532-991-21
All Rights Reserved, 2023, Constance La France
Submitted into the Premiere contest, Strand No 1201
sponsor, Brian Strand, Judged 03/22/2023
Eighth Place
Categories:
ojibwa, dream,
Form: Free verse
Promised Land: A Psalm of Faith
There is a kind of strength comes to a wanting land
(Where six inches of unfavored soil must withstand
A chance for rain), when rooted in the Word
That brings hope through faith.
---And a roadside sign proclaims, "Jesus is Lord"
Expand and retreat, germinate and scatter
Rhythms of nature play out no matter
How the seemingly perpetual estates of man defy.
---And an ancient Ojibwa cried, "Sometimes I go about in pity
For myself, and all the while, a great wind carries me across the sky"
I knew of a man broken by this land
Who remains unbreakable in his stand
That he and the grange are one.
When asked why he stays on in this now dead sea,
—-Says only,"This is God's country and I am his son"
Copyright Paul Thomson 2013.
Categories:
ojibwa, christian, courage, earth,
Form: Didactic
My friend Constance La France
Creativity
One of her best attributes
Native American
She finds strength in her Ojibwa roots
Tragedy
At a young age, she came to know it
Nothing
Could change the fact she is a poet
Expressive
“Life is a journey full of moments-of struggle
for a poet the gathering of emotions”
And “the penning of poems will one day crumble,
of words that crash together like waves in oceans”
Family
Relationships, support, a reminder of home
"Again and again each day a new poem"
New beginnings, a second chance
Constance La France
Excellence
Quote from Life is Tragic,
"again and again each day a new poem" quote by Constance La France
01/25/2021
Written for Capture the Essence Poetry Contest
Sponsor Margarita Lillico
Categories:
ojibwa, family, native american, tribute,
Form: Acrostic
^^^^^
My people are the Ojibwa, 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 . . .
There, upon a sheer and rocky cliff the Appaloosa horse
of many colors stands majestic.
There, under the blazing blue sky an Ojibwa 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
and 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, the only sound is the wind that moves his feathers.
______________________
May 24, 2013
Poetry/Free Verse/A Mere Ojibwe Girl
Copyright Protected, ID 13-1072-902-0
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym.
Submitted to the contest, Mid October 2018
sponsor, Brian Strand
First Place
Categories:
ojibwa, native american,
Form: Free verse
Arms and legs peddling struggling
I tread
In the middle of the lake
There is 300 feet of blue water
Between the soles of my feet
And the 10,000 year old dance floor beneath.
Torch Lake never gives up her dead.
The lake’s bottom is pocked
With springs bursting as jets from Middle Earth
Jumbling boulders like popcorn.
This is where the drowned bodies sink
Irretrievable by dive teams or priests
Those Ojibwa fishermen ripped from their Birch canoes
Loggers clunked dead on their heads
Great Depression titans
Still stitched to their britches
Top hats and bow ties
Pistols clutched to their hands
Wives sunk from hurt and betrayal
Factory workers snapped in two
A young girl from a rowboat
Caught in a sudden storm
Clapping for her tossed dog
She dove in.
I wonder from down there
Where they’re all doing the jig
What I look like to them
Up here?
Another man walking on his knees?
Categories:
ojibwa, angel, death, destiny, july,
Form: Free verse
A feather lost glides, drifting, it soars,
in the mighty wind it twirls and swirls as if dancing,
oh once, THE PEOPLE, owned all the wilderness,
they called it home, and now it is being destroyed.
High upon a sheer, jagged cliff a horse,
of many colors stands majestic under the azure sky,
and an Ojibwa girl looks at the land of her Canada,
where below the Ottawa River thunders and roars.
In the wind that howls, eagle feathers,
in her raven hair and on her horse are fluttering,
and in the sky above eagles fly and screech,
to symbolize her ancestors great spirit and strength.
And in my dream, I am that Ojibwa girl,
who stands upon that cliff with her horse and feathers.
_________________________________
September 25, 2016
Poetry/Verse/A Feather Lost
Copyright Protected, ID 16-833-434-0
All Rights Reserved. Written under Pseudonym
NA in Contest # 211, finalized 9/26/2016
Submitted to the contest, Any poem that got NA'd
in a September 2016 Contest, sponsor Janice Carnerdy
Third Place
Categories:
ojibwa, native american,
Form: Verse
The plains people such as Lakota, Crow and Ojibwa
Spread throughout the Native American world
Who believe that the sickness is borne out of
The individual’s being out of harmony in life.
Witchery, sorcery, wizardry ways they heal it
Out of the three they prefer the witchery way
Corn pollen is said to be pure and immaculate
Sprinkling with corn pollen helps to cure disharmony
In fact corn pollen so powerful and trusted
That people carry it simply for good luck.
Navajo shamans confirms it as the most powerful
It’s a healing bridge between humans and spirits
+++++++
Date:5-11-13
Dr. Ram Mehta
Sixth Place Win
Contest: Native American people by Shanity Rain
Categories:
ojibwa, health, religion,
Form: Free verse
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
We are at the junction of the Little River and the Ottawa River,
journeying into the Canadian wilderness by canoe, the
paddles stroke slowly into the water, paddles heavily incised
with vines and flowers, and I am dipping my hair into the deep blue.
Spirit, is a native man in a crisp white shirt, his head shaved
but for one braid with feathers, his blue leggings enthrall
me, intricate beaded moccasins are sublime, his leather
pouch and glass jewelry lovely, I think I love him . . .
Falcon, a beautiful man with raven hair falling down his back,
his feathers are fluttering in the wind, he has dangling earrings,
a red cape edged with gold threads, his beads are exquisite,
and he is telling me stories and smiling at me . . .
I could love him, and I am dipping my hair into the deep blue.
O, how can this Ojibwa girl choose, I love them both . . .
I truly do, but luckily for me this is a dream and I can love both.
^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^
_____________________
December 10, 2012
Poetry/Narrative/A Dream Comes Floating
Copyright Protected, ID 12-441-915-10
All Rights Reserved, 2012, Constance La France
Categories:
ojibwa, hair, love, native american,
Form: Narrative
Fluttering, drifting
to and fro it soars
it dances in the mighty wind
it twirls, it swirls
There
upon a sheer jagged rocky cliff
an Appaloosa horse of many colors stands majestic
There
under this blazing azure sky
an Ojibwa girl looks at the beautiful land of Canada
There
in the mighty wind that roars
a feather lost from her raven hair, quietly moves
There
far below the Ottawa River thunders
and the vast lands of wilderness stretch to the horizon
There
above in a perfect sky
eagles soar, symbolizing "The Peoples" strength
There
in my spirit dream
the only sound is the wind that moves my feather
Fluttering, drifting
to and fro it soars
it dances in the mighty wind
it twirls, it swirls
_______________________
December 9, 2012
Poetry/Verse/The Feather
Copyright Protected, ID 12- 441-546-09
All Rights Reserved, 2012, Constance La France
Categories:
ojibwa, native american, nature,
Form: Verse
Within a catcher, dreams do scream
feathers redeem
man's sullied soul
sweet dreams the goal
Within their vanes they transfix
each demon lick
each channeling's
imaginings
Within the web they flutter, curs
nightmare mutters
beaded offerings
each feather sings
Poet: Debbie Guzzi
Contest: Just a Minute!
Date 10/20/12
*It is believed that the origin of the Native American dream catcher (or Indian dream catchers) is from the Ojibwa Chippewa tribe.
Categories:
ojibwa, native american, dream, dream,
Form: Rhyme
The days moved slowly, but did pass.
He had spent the last three dreaming
of his mentor Wakan Tanka.
Calling him from Han in darkness,
waiting for his sign of answer.
It had come in bits and pieces
of Ojibwa legend mainly.
Thirty days purification
Of mind, body, spiritual.
Bathed in ginger, pomegranate.
In the round house incense offered,
Calls shadow land of Lakota.
Nagila, Nagila come be my bride.
The hawk and fox are beside me.
I have fasted forty summers,
visited the spirit of death.
Niya, the spirit of life’s blood
has lifted me up to the stars.
She has cleansed with healing waters.
Now let me take the talisman.
Now let me repeat the promise.
Now let me take my rightful place
among my people as Shaman.
Apr 16 2011 CGH the Ojibwa of the
north western plains
Wakan Tanka- creator of the Sioux
Han-place of great emptiness, darkness
Nagila-shadow land
Niya-breath of life
ginger and pomegranate-not factual
Categories:
ojibwa, native americanme, me, ,
Form: Free verse