For Vance
We
pass through Arkansas, Little Rock up ahead
Where so much happened not so very long ago (1)
When Rosa Parks sat in on an ordinary bus
In an extraordinarily simple act of courage (2)
Bringing A Dream alive for others to step up into
At every bus stop in America
This is the Dream of Turtle Island
This ranging free and high riding west
Where visions come true when
we pursue them from soul level
Where spirit has room to breathe
This is not to say that the journey is easy, the way made clear
We cross the Mississippi, Grandmother
of Rivers
The plains encompass us
Red Feather's rattle and drum, medicine wheel, red and white
Turn our thoughts towards the Hoop of Creation
For once, too long ago to count
We crawled up from under the earth through the hole of the Mother
To greet the Sun and know ourselves For The First Time
We are always coming home in America
The Old Ones greet thirsty newcomers
Encircle us with the golden light of providence
Pass us through the Hoop of Hope
Bend us to the Will of Manitou
We may dance round fires
Eat salmon of wisdom from wild rivers
Coyote wolf bear watching from afar
Celtic Shawnee bloodlines merging, remembering us
We are, we are not, welcome in
this land of plenty
We pass initiations into the Clans of Turtle Island
We turn around inside ourselves to know this place
Once again as Home
1 Remembering September,
1957, when nine African-American students challenged white supremacy at the
Central High School
2 In Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955