1. What is your Indian Heritage?
2. Did you ever live on a reservation?
3. How many members were in your immediate family?
4. What kind of spiritual upbringing did you have?
5. Are you affiliated with any religious groups presently?
6. How long have you been writing poetry?
7. What are your favorite styles to write poetry in?
8. Of all the poetry you have written, do you have one favorite poem?
9. Is there a poetic form you have never written in but would like to?
10. What does ALLPOETRY mean to you?
Author notes
My own reply to these questions:
1. What is your Indian Heritage? I was not born an Indian but have recently been adopted by a lovely Cheyenne Lady (Tender Wolf)who has given me the name of Gray Elk.
2. Did you ever live on a reservation? No
3. How many members were in your immediate family? 5, my Father Edwin, my Mother Margaret, my Sister Sally, my twin Brother David, and myself
4. What kind of spiritual upbringing did you have? I was raised in a Christian home, brought to Church since infancy, went to Sunday school, Worship, Sunday evening services and Wednesday night services every week while living at home.
5. Are you affiliated with any religious groups presently? I presently Worship at the Flat Rock Church of Christ
6. How long have you been writing poetry? I started writing poetry in 2000, so that mean I have been writing 8 yrs now.
7. What are your favorite styles to write poetry in?
I am fond of Haiku but I also enjoy writing in different forms of poetry.
8. Of all the poetry you have written, do you have one favorite poem? Silly, I know but my favorite is one of my earlier Haiku poems that read like this:
moonbeams radiate
when the veiling cloud has passed
playful shadows dance
9. Is there a poetic form you have never written in but would like to? none in particular, but there are many I will attempt in the future
10. What does ALLPOETRY mean to you? Allpoetry is a social community where fellow poets assemble to grow in their own poetic talents but to also be a place where friend meet and share and care for one another. It is a real blessing to me and I hope I can be a blessing to others.
In a list
A contest entry
- Go Ahead, Ask Me Anything by PureCountry.
525 points, ended June 16, 2008, 25 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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My Ap Father, Gray Elk.....
1. What is your Indian Heritage?
I am a descendant of the Cherokee on my father's side. We believe my great-grandmother to have been full-blooded Cherokee, a keeper of the old ways. However outside of one picture, we have no records other then a few stories of her life and death.
2. Did you ever live on a reservation?
No, I did not. In the early 1900's one could have claimed Indian blood and been registered with the tribal government, however at that time, to have done so was during a period of time, as to be thought of as less of a person.
So whatever members of my ancestral family were around at that time, choose not to. It is not my predominant bloodline, but an infusing that came to us through marriage. For Great Grandfather, William Rueben married this woman I spoke of earlier. He was far from being Indian much less even human in his life.
3. How many members were in your immediate family?
My Father, Richard Sr, my mother, Thelma Jane. I had a brother Kevin Lee and have one sister, Tonya Suzanne. So with me there were 5 of us up until Kevin's passing in 1991.
4. What kind of spiritual upbringing did you have?
We lived some of my earliest life beside my maternal grandparents, Mom's Dad was a minister of the country church their in that community. It was Panola Baptist, a small Baptist church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Upon moving from there, I spent the majority of my life being raised on a 1300 acre church encampment owned by the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. you only had to have a faith in Christ, not be a member of the Methodist faith in order to work there.
This campground and the activities there have done a lot to shape my faith and understanding of God even to today.
We were always in church or so it seemed at times. We were allowed to go to church elsewhere after we were old enough to drive. So I began a ifetime search for God. It has taken to many places and thorugh many people.
I have dated women from the Catholic faith, the Methodist faith and of course the Baptist. Even one darling girl from the Church of Christ as you are.
See next question
5. Are you affiliated with any religious groups presently?
No I am not, I have become opposed to organized religion. however I do serve on the board of directors of a ministry located in Northeast Texas. I have traveled on missionary endeavors using my talents as a speaker and as a carpenter for His glory.
I believe in both the general and special revelations of the being of God. I also believe signs, miracles and wonders did not cease with the first century church. For when the Apostle John died on Patmos, God's being and nature did not change. For He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
6. How long have you been writing poetry?
Since I was a teenager, and intimidated by girls, LOL
too shy to approach and to speak often. So for almost 25 years now, on and off.
7. What are your favorite styles to write poetry in?
i have become a fan of and have an appreciation for the freedom of free verse.
8. Of all the poetry you have written, do you have one favorite poem?
Yes The Crowded Room, written on September of 2007, for a woman by the name of Wind-Spirit.
9. Is there a poetic form you have never written in but would like to?
Yes the sestina, looks very challenging.
10. What does ALLPOETRY mean to you?
An encompassing view of all formats and all styles originating from a variety of people. To appreciation of the beings behind the words and the ideas, emotions and passion they engender through their works.
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