Reservation raised.
the raven-haired boy
sits quiet in the classroom.
“Slow learner…”
He learned slowly how to feel
secure, rocked in the stride
of his mother’s step. content in the
rhythmic chant of her prayers
as she gathered greens among rocks.
pine nuts and shells for his play.
“Can’t hold a pencil,
motor skills underdeveloped…”
Crawled early out of the basket
his mother wove, scurried back
when danger approached
like a sand crab to its hole.
Learned at two to ride a stick horse,
whip seaweed against sand.
“Has trouble with primary colors, and numbers…”
Knows the reds of painted drums,
tints of towhees. Can count migrating birds,
knows the seasons they appear,
hues of butterfly wings, names
of flowers along miles of mountain
streams and foot hills.
“Finds it difficult to socialize…”
Runs squealing among
grandparents, uncles and aunts–
cousins he chases in play.
Gathers willow roots with elders,
listens to legends of raven and bear,
sings with dancers till fires die.
“Daydreams a lot…”
Thinks in his tribal language
about the power of eagle feathers.
path of geese flying south, water
slapping against fish boats; recalls
the taste of hazel nuts, deer meat,
the touch of wrinkled hands.
“Culturally disadvantaged…”
Different in the way he thinks about earth,
sacred and unowned, healing ground
close to a mothering power, kinship
with hawk, whale, Northern red oak;
remembers a heart that strays
from nature
turns to stone.
© Kay Mullen
This is a lovely evocative poem. Thanks for sharing it with us.
It is wonderful isn’t it Pauline… I “picked it up” in 1994 when “exchange teaching” in Seattle U.S.A. I’ve always chosen to work in so called “socially disadvantaged areas” and addressing issues of Social Justice (must be the Irish in me 🙂 … These children and their parents have always taught me so much … has been a two way street, for me, and I’ve loved it. Thanks for your comment and so pleased you enjoyed it.
I think you and my middle daughter would have much to discuss then -she’s spent quite a few years in Aboriginal communities.
Ahhh… then I’m sure she’d find my “Ii is for….” post worth reading, i.e. when I finally get it done… Now where are those elusive photos??? grrr 🙂