He would appear and disappear
without a sound
Would stare at the stars
all night long
Sleep on the cold desert floor
Eat peyote buds
and sing war songs
He was rich
in all the nothing he had
Identified as a thunderbird
The animal spirits
were sacred in his world
Asked about gold
and he would scorn
Holding up water
the most precious
in all forms
I called him Navaho
        NO !
Call me Dineh !
So I did

Navaho...sitting by your tee,***
Looking far away...
Lost in space and time
Old warrior
Tired and  tranquil
Remenbering the old braves of yore
Phantoms that you see  
Among the clouds
Old partners of wars
Pow wows... in the night skies

Sleeping on the hard earth
Joined in efforts , tenacily
Wise as serpents
Light as a deer
Running in tall grasses
Your arrows  lined together
Above your shoulder
Your name" light foot"
Protected by the canopy
Of the wide Arizona skies

Colette Anne Naegle
copy rights 2005