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.
Click here to visit Sound Range: Poetry of a Soundscape
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Such a beautiful poem, especially when read aloud! I can see why it is part of the Sound Range Project, Sherry. I love the turnstones singing across the harbour ‘in their ancient tongue’, and the use of native language conveys the sounds so well. I enjoy all your poems about ancient native stories very much. I love the way you all elements together in the lines:
ReplyDelete‘But the living land and water
cedar and osprey
orca, wolf and bear
must carry this wisdom
of interconnection
in cellular memory.’
I was upset by the noisy motorboat disturbing the peace and silencing the thousand singing voices.
That's so beautiful- all of creation speaking in a single language. Did this abundance of speech and thought bring more bad than good?
ReplyDeleteThis is so lovely. I like how you describe the animals, their kingdom and their communication which is disrupted by the noise of humans.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful piece which - in itself - is wonderfully melodious. I am intrigued by the Sound Range Project and would love to hear it come together in its final collaborative, multi-layered form. It sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you describe the place where you live. While you may not hear the voices of the animals as the indigenous people do I feel you are very tune in the natural environment.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Love the shared landscape, the connection, the beauty and the very clear depiction of disruption. definitely a favourite.
ReplyDeleteVery well done, Sherry. The living voice of this interspecies river comes so alive--until the deaf ones show up with their deafening noise. It's tough to get those native names to format right in computerese--like a river environment trying to survive. - Brendan
ReplyDeleteWe keep putting ourselves on top, not within. This captures that so beautifully. I think it was EB White who said if people would talk less, animals would talk more.
ReplyDelete