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