Mother Sky

Mother Sky, send your nightlight stars
to candle our way out of darkness.

Let us hear the voices of our ancestors
who spoke the language of  the trees.

We have walked across the forest
in our stone moccasins for so long
we can longer hear the roots cry.

In the noise of our tongues speaking
iron and glass we became deaf.

Mother Sky, we are listening,
the days of stealing years from limbs are ending.

Our hands will nurse the great oak while you
water seedlings from tears of joy instead of pain.

©Susie Clevenger 2014



This poem was inspired by the following Native American quotes.

"We are all one child spinning through Mother Sky." – Shawnee
"Listen, or your tongue will make you deaf." - Tribe Unknown
"All plants are our brothers and sisters. They talk to us and if we listen, we can hear them." – Arapaho

This is the source for the Native American Quotes:
Native American Proverbs and Wisdom

Real Toads Bits Of Inspiration ~ Spirit Nature

Comments

Anonymous said…
Beautiful prayer
21 Wits said…
Ah yes, your words are a gift of swimming sensations of life. Not only this post, but our challenge for today from you, is our prize for grasping happiness by retouching with nature's finest joys!
humbird said…
Love it so much! x
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Susie, your title drew me, smiling, and I read your beautiful poem like one long prayer my thirsty soul so needed this morning.......so struck by the talking trees and the stone moccasins........and the nursing of the great oak and watering of seedlings. Then watched the documentary, one of the best I've seen, so clear a message....loved this. Thank you!
Jazzbumpa said…
You met your own challenge nicely.

Cheers!
JzB

Really a stunningly beautiful work Susie!
Unknown said…
I chose to work with the same quote, Susie. Thank you for the inspiration, and for the prayer-poem here.
Vandana Sharma said…
Nature will ease our pain and envelope us in love
Magaly Guerrero said…
"...the noise of our tongues speaking / iron and glass..." The imagery in these words carves ideas and feelings into the soul. Wow.
Jim said…
You did wonderfully with the prompt, Susie!! I always like to see what the initiator of the prompts will have to say using them. You did not let me down.

I forgot to quote my Native American saying that inspired me most (all did in a way). It was this one:
"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset." - Blackfoot
I believe that I am the only one left here of my four characters. I gave credit this morning. Thank you.
..
Kerry O'Connor said…
What a stunning piece - the language is gorgeous and each image is crisp and memorable.
Sumana Roy said…
"Mother Sky, send your nightlight stars
to candle our way out of darkness.". ..this is beautiful...and i'm basking in its holy light..
Anonymous said…
Agree with all--and a lovely prayer--We have not handled the world very gratefully. k.
Hannah said…
I like that...we have a common destiny with the tree...beautiful and fitting film, Susie. Your poem is a prayer...I love the way you address Mother Sky and that you end on a note of hope. Beautiful.