Native American Poems

Water That is Stopped

By Tabacco Man

Sitting in the waters
the old one tied a cord
tied it up with knots
singing his dreams as he sat there
there it is
somewhere in there
the medicine you were weeping for
yes
there is plenty of it
yes
many have cried thinking it was lost
the sky has followed itself
into his arms
he has allowed himself to depend upon the clear sky
it may be just as I have said
that he was there
gathered with the sky
counting his knots
each time that you wept
counting the medicine that is there

i know how to speak clearly

A Healing Poem for the Mountain Spirits

(Apache)

Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits, your body is holy.
By means of it, make him well again.
Make his body like your own.
Make him strong again.

He wants to get up with all of his body.
For that reason, he is performing this ceremony,
Do that which he has asked of you.

Long ago, it seems you restored someone’s legs and eyes for them.
This has been said.
In the same way, make him free again from disease.
That is why I am speaking to you.

– posted by Bailey Griscom