Saskatoon Aboriginal Day 2007

The town

we painted

a deep bright red

Running with tequila

sinking highballs

in an ocean of green

Dancing with Wolf

surrounded

by white skin

Until the last song

Until the last call

Disappearing

over the curb

into the night.

Beautiful damn spot

Beautiful damn spot

tattooed on my neck

engraved in passion’s moment

last night

or was it

early this morning?

Yesterday

neon lights fluttered

sparkled

around your body

exhaled cigarette smoke

draped over your shoulders

Tequila conversation

veered from your eyes

to your smile

down towards

exposed skin

above your cleavage

“Want to listen to tunes at my place?”

“You have anything to drink?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s catch a cab.”

“Alright.”

I want you

after last call

I want you

before sunrise

I want you

again

Indian Militants (and their bills to pay)

30 years ago
the North End simmered
with Indian militants
who had bills to pay
and a movement to create

They were going to change the world
fight for Indian rights
Indian treaties

They burned sweet-grass
marched in the streets
thundered their drums
to the government

"The 'White Paper'
is for the White Man,
The Red Man needs a red road!"
they shouted

The government responded
created economic development corporations
tribal councils
and political organizations

And in the end
the Indian militants
recieved jobs
from these corporations
and were able to pay their bills

You Loved Me At My Worst

'Nuff said

Have You Hugged an Indian Today?

Have you hugged an Indian today?
that's my question to you
we pass each other everyday
when you're on your way to work
passing me like I'm part
of the scenery
where I'm having a smoke
bumming change
passed out on the street

Letting You Go

I'm going to let you go
I'm going to grab our memories
that love off the floor
I'm going to wrap it in my arms
take it outside
where the wind is blowing
the first snowflakes
across sleeping praire fields
I'm going to feel
that love grow cold
in my arms
I'm going to brush
its hair from its face
and with my hand
close its eyes to sleep
I'm going to offer tobacco
let the wind
carry that love
from my arms
where it mixes
with the snow
and my medicine
leaving me
with emptiness
my Shunyata

Small Town, USA

I saw the stars in Fargo
twinkling in your eyes
down on Main Street
where we ate fajitas
and drank margaritas
at Juano's Mexican Restaurant
downtown

Insecurities

Thoughts rain down
over my body
seeping through cracks
in the wall
to the floor
sinking to Earth

I can feel
her moving
slowly
with subtle tremors
of butterfly wings
creating hurricanes
with my insecurities

Poem Written on Jacket of Book for AJ's Road Trip 2007

Road trip reading
to be enjoyed
between
valleys, lakeshores
and inukshuks
built along
the highway.

Sioux Lookout, Ontario 1979

Small town Sioux
the entire world
to my eyes
5 years old
1979
where everything
was one big wow

Walking down
Front Street
the looooongest one block
in the world
huffing
puffing
to get to
the Whistle Stop
in the Sioux Hotel

I would eat
the house special
chicken in a basket
a gold mine of flavour
campared to fried Klik
on the rez

Sioux Lookout, Ontario
to a 5 year old
from Lac Seul First Nation
was an adventure

Lac Seul's First Phone Call from Kejick Bay

I remember at home
in the bush
one phone
for 300 hundred people
to share including
the Chief and Council

I remember
power generators
watching the Disney hour
Sunday evening
at my cousin's
running
out of gas
halfway
sitting
in the dark

"Who's turn is it to fill it up?"

I remember
outhouses
minus 50 blowing snow
frozen shit exposing
your ass
on frozen wood
Thinking

"It's better than mosquitos in the summer"

I remember
float planes
metal otters
beavers
cessna's
gliding in from town
doing the milk run
delivering mail

Why do I remember
the first phone call
Lac Seul landlocked

But now
we have one phone
connected
to the outside world

Able to connect
to relatives
living off reserve
call in the medivac
when needed
and the Chief and Council
can arrange their meetings
collect their per diems
and all that stuff

So much important matters
related to that
one phone

But, the first call?
for a reserve with
no road access
no electricity
no plumbing

For 300 people
who came together
as a community
Chipping in
taxi cab fare and
the cost of a plane ride
from Sioux Lookout Ontario
30 minutes out

From the Mayfair Theatre
to Lac Seul First Nation
a fried chicken delivery order
for 300 people
the first phone call

Saturday Night

last saturday night
we unfolded our bodies
to each other
where my dreams
embraced yours
in the presence
of the moon
balanced
in the night

Breath - Maeengan Linklater

It's good
to be mindful
of your breath
in life and death
from the turbulant
joy of birth
when you escape
into the world
from your mother's womb

Breathing
is your silent companion
never judging
the decisions
you have made
experiencing
the impacts of your relations

In the twilight
of your life
and reflections
your breathing
becomes
shallower
shallower
shallower

Dancing in my heart

You dance
in my heart
to your own
rhythm
and beat
dancing
with happiness
bringin me
joy

Indigenous Kootenays

In the Kootenays
surrounded
by mountains
shadowing
over me

When I’m here
a giant foot
will crash down
covering me

In sand
suffocating
my lungs
slicing
my body
with jagged rock
leaving my pulse
to fade away
bleeding
with this
new mountain range

I’m going
to hear
generations
of blond children
looking
for remains
of peace
order
and
good government

My spirit
is going to rise
float through cracks
inching higher
towards the top
I’m going
to wake spirits
of dead Indians
buried underneath
Kaslo
Nelson
and, Castlegar

Telling them

“It’s okay
time to go
back home”

I’m going
to see them
spawn
generations
of Indians

Indigenous
Kootenays

Reborn
in these mountains

Reborn
without land claims

Reborn
in their territory

When
we’re at the top
of the mountain
at night
we’ll look down
at their fires
sparkling
like diamonds
in summer’s dew
knowing
in the morning
the spirit world
will blanket
the earth

We’ll wake up
where the clouds
kiss the mountain tops
in morning mist

I’ll say
goodbye
to my body
buried
in the mountain
look forward
to my life
anew

Wallet Photograph - Maeengan Linklater

if I give you
a photograph
of me
would you
place me
in your wallet?
keep me warm
when you sit down?

Colonized Spirits - PTSD

Cobblestone sidewalks
bleeding
Indian spirit

Colonized
by pavement
over sand
footprints
bones

Lurking
in shadows
looking at
white people
dreaming

Indians
can’t dream
blocked
by orange
street lights
humming

Smothered
bent over
cop cars
street corners
with pants
down to ankles

Take my children

Again

Turn them
into you

Full of social justice
with god
by their side
in a land
of opportunity

Imagine - Maeengan Linklater

Imagine
my heart
in your palm
again

Innocent
freshly
laid snow
from winter’s storm
melting close
to your body

I would
listen
to your heartbeat
dance
with your shadow
in the hallway
of our memories