I listen as we celebrate and hear the voices.
They call me back to a long ago time.
When men were hunters and women were mothers.
They tell a story of strength and simple wisdom.
They sing about creation, destruction...life.
They share in their songs all that came before us.
Now I watch as we sing those songs.
I am in this time, watching my people celebrate.
I am watching women that are mothers.
I am watching men that are hunters.
They are telling the same stories of strength and wisdom with new voices.
They are singing the same songs of life, even as our lives change and evolve.
They share the songs that came before, as a part of the here and now.
The voices that came before blend and are a part of the voices of now.
Those that we remember are a part of us, forever...
Passed down with the songs, stories and names.
Our people live strong, into history by...
The Voices that came before.
Author notes
June fifth, sixth, and seventh were the days that celebration was held in Juneau, AK. This is one of the largest gathering of Alaska Natives. We gather together to celebrate the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act which returned land to the native people of Alaska. It has been a part of my life since I was a small child and has done much for my family and my people. Whenever I see the children, from the infant wrapped and carried by the mother to the toddler dancing by themselves, I just about cry. It is the blending of the then and the now. Remembering we are a strong people. That we and those who came before us will not die because of our culture.
A contest entry
- Anything by crystallynnbradford.
300 points, ended July 30, 94 entries
Honorable winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
-
This is why I pick 'em at random. That was more of a story of life than a poem. Kicked my a**- thanks.
-
this is a very interesting piece and I enjoyed reading it a lot....i like the history behind it too...there are not many pieces like this one
-
-
Many thanx
Thank you, as I said in my AN this has been such a large and important part of my life, and the lives of just about all the people I know that I just wanted to express and share how it makes me feel. It is so special to me and if I can manage to give even one person a glimpse of grandness of it then I've more than done what I set out to do.
-
-
Wow, this is amazing.
I've always been one to love exposure to various cultures. I felt as though I were there, and this poem had a current yet classic style which added to it.
Fantastic write. -
-
How we grow
Yes, I think that exposing yourself to these different things helps you grow in a way that promotes acceptance and understanding, two really big things (imho) that make it possible for America to be such a great (ok don't laugh) place. Thank you for the kind words!
-
-
I like yours better.
I made one too about Celebration. You might want to try the POW/POM contest. You do pretty good. 
-
-
You have one too?
Ok which one is the one you wrote...come on come on you gotta share!!!
-
-
A wonderful poem! full of life and history and how they are one and the same. Beautifully done!
-
-
The now and then
While I was growing up I got kinda lost between the now and then. My life was so full of history and the stories of those who came before that when I got out on my own I was expecting more. At Celebration I get that more. This only happens every other year, but it means so much to me and my whole family. And it never ceases to amaze me... the returning feeling of the then and now...
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 9 of 9
