So, I was saying I met Ram Dass? That is to say, in the library of the good people who invited me to live in their house (and made it seem I was doing them a favour by house-sitting), among the books was this dark purple one, called ‘Be Here Now.’ I’d never seen anything…
Category: Aboriginal life
Worm Medicine
earthworm, indivisible one, you feed on smaller things what is dead, and what is rotting food of worms, no glory until above you, sky riots with beauty that feeds on your tiny work was it you? st. francis held in his hand, praying make me a channel of Your peace here, this reeking moment, break…
On the New Age: Ode to an Alien Nation
Feathers belong to birds. Any human, anywhere, who uses them in any way is using a gift that we appropriate, to which we assign human meanings. What do the birds have to say about it? Lately, on social media, I’ve seen Indigenous thinkers and activists moving to take down a spate of New Age practitioners…
On Aboriginal Veterans’ Day
Today is Aboriginal Veterans’ Day in Canada. I suppose this is a necessary part of the process of Truth and Reconciliation for our nation, but I find it an ambivalent undertaking. It’s necessary, because so many Aboriginal men, and women, served in Canada’s Armed Forces despite their civilian status placing them in a position of…
In Honour Of Lifelong Learning, on this Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos
With love to Margaret, and all my many beautiful teachers. You are the Gift. Today, I am an adult. I read, long ago, that Cherokee people count 52 as the age of majority, when one attains to the full rights/responsibilities of adulthood. It resonated with me, the notion that, by 52, one’s had kids (if…
Transit of Alexandra
Fuckin they’re on Native Time. I ain’t scared Ma, I’m mad. Fuckin chicken shit! I’m shaking cause I’m mad, Ma, that’s how mad I am! Two sets of footsteps, one a halfbeat behind. She catches up to Ma as they pass me, raging about white cunts on stolen land they’s just borrowing this place we…
For the Light Returning: How Not to Freeze
Free Tibet! bang bang Free Tibet! Their voices and their drums shimmered through the frosty air. They danced past the doors of the Strathcona Farmers’ Market, and i hustled in after my hubby, looking assiduously away from them. I’d recognised one of the dancing drummers, indigenous of mixed ancestry, and an artist -so, not unlike…
Seeking Names
This grows in my garden: As you can see, the stalks grow 8 feet tall, and taller, with multiple little heads that clearly show this plant belongs to the sunflower family. This is what we eat from this plant: You might know this plant as Jerusalem Artichoke, or Sunroot, or Sunchoke. You might, if you’re…
A Rant for Rick Mercer: The Problem With Gord Downie
Hey, Rick, Been listening in on your rants for years, as we all do. Now I’ve got one for you, coming from a place of Cantankerous Love, on the problem with Gord Downie. The problem isn’t Gord Downie. He’s doing something brave, meaningful and relevant with his last remaining days among us. That is laudable….
2012: Wolf Work
it’s 2012 national arts council meets here to know the land they serve i am invited to a reception no poem commission, just to be face of our mayor’s personal commitment laureate memo: always carry poems are easy to conceal mind you, the law of theatre applies here; if you see a poet it…
2010: Olympic
it’s 2010 i go to the olympic edition of talking stick festival in vancouver, i walk this is how to learn a city walk from dorothy’s up on coal harbour down to cambie to the roundhouse to the show i will never be a headliner i will never be on the podium i am…
2007: Metaphor
it’s 2007 and our city has fielded a committee which has won a competition we will have our year as canada’s cultural capital with all the project money this entails. since, she said, the committee couldn’t find any indigenous artists they went ahead and decided what to write, since they all agreed your community had…
Prairiepomes 