Where Sky Meets Water
Praying to the Spirits at Crater Lake
We no longer see what he could see
Blue
Sky Father reaching down
Stroking
Earth Mother with soft wind
Stirring
Waters into a dance
Delight becomes bright
Bright becomes blue
.
We no longer hear what he could hear
Breeze
Cloud Brother calling down
Blowing
Lake Sister into a whirl
Blending
Rainbow drops with the air
Delight becomes bright
Bright becomes blue.
.
We no longer know what he could know
Presence
Great Spirit descending down
Gracing
People with luminosity
Dignifying
Brilliant lands and lakes with Light
Delight becomes bright
Bright becomes blue.
Crater Lake, Oregon
.
Note on title photo:
Praying to the Spirits at Crater Lake is the title given by Edward S. Curtis to his 1923 photograph.
It represents a Klamath Chief praying in the presence of one of the deepest and bluest lakes in the world: Crater Lake, Oregon.
Crater Lake was considered sacred by the Klamath tribes. They referred to it as "gii-was," meaning "a sacred place."
This photo is part of the Edward S. Curtis Collection of early photos of Native Peoples at the Library of Congress.
Most of his work is in the Public Domain.
For more information visit:
https://www.loc.gov/item/91726215/
About the Creator
PK Colleran
"There are people who write, but I think they’re quite different from people who must write."
Harper Lee
Writer, translator, seeker
Editor of Landscape of the Soul by Hipólito Sánchez and Words Matter by Jorge Waxemberg
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Comments (8)
This poem is a joy for the senses. There is something about Native Americans that makes the world feel right. Live right. congrats.
Oh, how did I miss out on this poem until now? Shame on me. I really love the lightness and the ease it flows with, yet somehow it's still deep. Congrats on the HM!
Wow! Loved your poem. Happy belated congrats, PK! -delight becomes bright bright becomes blue- 🤩
Wooohooooo congratulations on your honourable mention! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
This was incredible the native feel of your incredible poem, the lesson in history, and of course Crater Lake Well done
Outstanding work!
A wonderful poem, nicely done 👍.
Incredibly beautiful!