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Canku Ota

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(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

 

June 14, 2003 - Issue 89

 
 

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Dawn Girl

 
 
by John Rustywire
 

Sunrise on the DesertIn the early morning, when the sweet taste of dew is on the land, just a taste of sweet life, it shines in the early light and the air is crisp and clean she runs. In the days of summer, winter and windblown fall and under the slim showers of spring she runs to East, along the horizon where the beginning of day chases the night away. In the early light of blue black skys she sees the hint of turquoise blue, in the shimmer of gray light, a tint of pink, blue and gold she runs to the break of day, always to the east.

Running with leggings, buckskin wrapped, in red mocassins this Navajo girl with long black hair, she runs her legs moving against the ground, across the long distant mesas, across the flat lands, running along the rainbows edge. Can you see her, she is beating the ground with the sound of her feet, her heart pounds and she breathes in the whistling wind, it is a the rhythm of the new day, a new life, the old of yesterday falls away with the night.

In this light I can see her run, far away to the South, along the horizon, racing along it's edge. Grandfather would say to me it is time to get up, she has beaten you already, you must catch up. Slowly my eyes opened to see the wooden ceiling, and the dim light of a kersone lamp sitting on the table in the middle of the room. The sound of sparrows singing flows through th e window.

These sounds come to mind the slight flutter of wings, the thunk of my tennis shoes slipping on to my feet, and the squeek of the screen door and the scrunch of the ground as I could hear my feet walking along the path going east through the cedar trees, the faint light of day on the horizon.

She is running and I step forward to catch her, she is fast that one. I wonder what she looks like, limber, with long strides, her hair rustling with the breeze, if she were to look at me she would say to me, don't you see it is time to clear your mind, think about what is in front of you, the stillness of the sage, the sound of the wind flowing through the trees and rabbit brush. I slowly run step by step and see the trail before me, it is just before first light and I am running to meet the day.

I can see the colors of dawn, and far off to the East I run to see it. The sound comes to mind, the song and the chant. A time for summer sings, and the beautyway.

In beauty it begins, may goodness find me
Let the beauty way follow me where ever I go,
Let there be beauty before me
Let there be beauty behind me
Let there be beauty to the left of me
Let there be beauty to the right of me
In all that I do let there be beauty
Let me wrap my self in it

Hozhoji,
Hozhogo Nahasdlii
Hshoogo Hahasdlii

Restore me with beauty
Restore me with beauty

So I run to meet the Dawn. Dawn Girl runs on the horizon.

She has beaten me again.

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  Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107.  
 

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

 
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