FROM MATTAPONI RIVER

0n this NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE DAY,
APRIL 26 TH,
I read from my:PUEBLO POETRY BOOK,
a poem called:FROM MATTAPONI RIVER

*FROM MATTAPONI RIVER

MAN ARRIVED
WITH EMPTY PADDLES
AND THE RED WING FLUTTERED
ON THE WIND WITH HIM.
WE CIRCLED ON A CIRCLE
ON KHAYYAM POTTERY AND WINE
AND THE WORLD WAS EMPTY.
ON COUGHING FLAMES
FIREPLACE WAS BURNING
IN THE RED MEMORY OF DREAM CATCHERS
AND TOTEM CHEST,
BUT DUST
WAS NOT DANCING.
GOING TO RIVER WAS IN VAIN
IN VAIN WAS ARRIVING
FROM RIVER
AND SKY WAS ONLY
AN EMPTY WINDOW
FROM MATTAPONI RIVR

BEFORE THE WHITE MAN CAME
THE RED MAN SANG...

-FS