Late
spring evening,
a thousand turnstones sing
across the harbour
on what we mamalthni**
call Neilsen Island.
The First Peoples of this land
have always known it
as Waaxp̓inč̓a*,
island of the river otters.
across the harbour
on what we mamalthni**
call Neilsen Island.
The First Peoples of this land
have always known it
as Waaxp̓inč̓a*,
island of the river otters.
The
birds converse
in their ancient tongue.
The Nuu chah nulth say
there was a time
when human and animal
plant and tree
spoke to each other
in the same language.
It is we mamalthni
who have forgotten.
But the living land and water
cedar and osprey
orca, wolf and bear
must carry this wisdom
of interconnection
in cellular memory.
in their ancient tongue.
The Nuu chah nulth say
there was a time
when human and animal
plant and tree
spoke to each other
in the same language.
It is we mamalthni
who have forgotten.
But the living land and water
cedar and osprey
orca, wolf and bear
must carry this wisdom
of interconnection
in cellular memory.
In
counterpoint
upon the moment’s rapture,
a boat motor roars;
a seaplane flies in, low:
we humans, being –
our cacophony and clamour,
our relentless encroachment
on the wild -
the thousand singing voices
falling suddenly silent.
upon the moment’s rapture,
a boat motor roars;
a seaplane flies in, low:
we humans, being –
our cacophony and clamour,
our relentless encroachment
on the wild -
the thousand singing voices
falling suddenly silent.
**Mamalthni
is the Nuu chah nulth word for white people
*
Waaxp̓inč̓a
means island of the river otters
This poem is part of the Sound Range Project: Poetry of a Soundscape, envisioned and brought to life by Tofino Poet Laureate Joanna Streetly. The project pairs poems, recorded sounds, and the language of the Nuu chah nulth people into an interactive map of Clayoquot Sound.
This poem is part of the Sound Range Project: Poetry of a Soundscape, envisioned and brought to life by Tofino Poet Laureate Joanna Streetly. The project pairs poems, recorded sounds, and the language of the Nuu chah nulth people into an interactive map of Clayoquot Sound.
There is a wonderful dream like feeling to this poem - like taking part in a gentle flight
ReplyDeleteThis engages our subconscious I think. Perhaps its a way to remember our own interconnection, whose truth is still in our cells, but asleep. Lovely poem!
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful writing, Sherry. You paint such a beautiful picture … and then .. along comes Modernity and Man-the-Spoiler. Why-o-why do we do choose to go forth upon the land creating such a Hullabaloo.
ReplyDeleteI was perusing poetry from other languages online and came across a selection of Mayan poetry (translated) - all x's and c's in the original, and I wondered, what kind of poetry is spoken and thoughts and images made, in all the tongues of the world? including the orca ~
ReplyDelete