After Mika Westwolf

Walking on highways is a crime, in these days we have been born into.

But there is no other way home.

Here, in America you cannot walk home.

Even if you were born here ten thousand generations ago, even if this has always been home.

In these days we have been born into, you will be charged with your own murder.

Investigated for taking your own life.

You will be tried for walking home.

But everything

that is beautiful tries,

In its innocence to walk home.

The highway loves no one,

But –

The land the highway occupies loves you.

The heart of the sleeping snow is melted by the angels you drew.

The seeds of spring weave in the melt,

softened,

delighted,

by becoming from you.

The grass grows tall with you, and brittle from all its waving.

The cranes coming in spring, stop to bathe and find you.

The hawk hunts what is stirred by your belonging.

The great grizzly bear watches from a distance and respects you.

The deer are curious about your scent, breathing in you.

The squirrels question you, and then, advise you.

The flowers are sweet shy offerings blooming with you.

The rez dogs chase you.

Nitsi-poi-yiksi loves you, as a daughter born through ten thousand daughters, loved dearly and made in its image.
The image of the mountains that everyone looks to.

America must listen to this land, and dream bigger. Melt its hard sleepy heart, Aohkíí to bring about change.

Your mother led us.

And now on the land the highway occupies, in these days we have been born into, we will listen to Nitsi-poi-yiksi and

we will walk you home.

~

Nitsi-poi-yiksi – word for land in Blackfeet language
Aohkii – word for water in Blackfeet language

~

Bio: I was raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Home to the Bitterroot Salish, Upper Pend d’Oreille, and Kootenai. That is where I learned of the beauty of nature and having a profound relationship with the earth, and of environmental stewardship as modeled by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. I wrote this after learning of a recent tragedy there and the strength of family and community in their fight for justice. Please America, give your attention to mikamatters.com As well as MMIP/MMIR missing murdered indigenous people and missing murdered indigenous relatives.