The Great Buffalo
(June 2006)

The prairie shakes, relaxed greens
and driftwood browns part as they pass
or falter under hoof. Herd traces
pond’s path, fragrant flame from many
strides upwind pulls their noses aft-
No fear- no hunt in the west wind.

Invocations rise up, carry me,
kin to man, like a king
on his Royal Stallion. Their
hearts pulse for me,
chants embrace me
dum da-dum-dum dum dum
The hunt is on.

But I remain silent.

We flee and we fight
fear pushing, pulling, but only in
body as Spirit is soothed through
devotional dance and earned respect
for our sinew and meat
our bladder and hide
our bones and our liver
our hair and our dung.

Seduced not but soothed, our spirit
still smiles though bison-bone spear
points pierce buffalo hide.

The prairie shakes, the bison die.

dum da-dum-dum dum dum
Their hearts embrace me
Chants pulse for me.

Face in the Mirror
(August, 2006)

In the mirror I see
Myself not as I truly am
But as I think I truly am. The
Mirror shows me things
False things. People say mirrors
Don’t lie. My mirror can’t
Tell the Truth. The mirror is
Perfect
Unlike looking into a polished
Square of aluminum or a puddle
That ripples on black pavement
They reflect distorted views. My
Mirror is perfect
But I see wrong.

I think I see me
but the mirror shows my form,

I think I see me
but the mirror shows my smile,

I think I see me
but the mirror just reflects light.

The mirror needs no polishing
Unlike my Mind, ravished with delusion.