Roots So Deep

Nuche. The People. / Ndé. The People / Wintu. The People. / Diné. The People. Roots so deep / not even genocide / could stamp us out.

Not even diseases. / Not even massacres. / Not even death marches. / Not even child abuse. /

Not even laudanum. / Not even relocation. / Not even language prohibition. /

Not even 500 years of MMIW.

Nothing could stop her eagle plume / from bobbing in the sunshine today.

Nothing could stop her jingles / from ringing out with the beat today.

Nothing could stop him from / swaying like grass in the wind today.

Nothing could stop him from / counting coup in the arbor today.

We may have a few bruises. / A few rough edges. / But consider that the intended outcome was / complete annihilation. / Consider the largest and wealthiest army in the world / could not succeed in this.

We may have some battle scars. / Some of them on our skin. / Some of them in our psyche. In the face of hate we love / and shine with a rhythm / in our step, / and a prayer on our lips / for our children, / for the Earth, / and especially / for those who sought to extinguish us.