Astronomer,
why do you work so hard to know
the sound that stars make as they rush
through the night sky?
Listen with us!
Hear them talking as they speed.
Moose Horn speaks,
his bellow heard by distant
Little Moccasin.
We hear
because we listen.
Listen with understanding!
The sound of stars rushing through the sky
is the boiling-white-water sound.
It is the sound of many young women laughing;
and the long, drawn-out lake-thunder
echoing at the Ojibwe village by the Great Rapids.
Star-studier
in your sky-watching-house,
have you not heard it also?
They speak to you through your
radio telecopes.
It is good you finally listened.
We heard it all along.
Author notes
Completely re-written, Feb 1, 09.
A meditation on the literature of Ojibwe author: Jane Johnston Schoolcraft;
“Bamewawagezhikaquay”, “Woman of the Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky “ (1800-1842), wife of anthropologist/explorer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. She was the first published Native American poet.
"The Sound the Stars Make Rushing through the Sky: The Writings of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft"; edited by Robert Dale Parker, University of Pennsylvania Press, (c) 2007.
The Village of Sault Sante-Marie, where Mrs. Schoolcraft lived most of her life: Baawitigong [great rapids villlage of the Ojibwe]; where Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron; now the Soo Locks.
Radio telescopes are used to study naturally occurring radio emission from stars, galaxies, quasars, and other astronomical objects. Stars are definately "noisy"!
Astronomer: Anangoog Gekenimaad = star student
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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I was in Thunder Bay only a month or so ago, the Ojibwe tribe is heavily ensconced in that part of Ontario, this piece sings the beat of their drums
C
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I didnt get it
words were used well
but the themese and ideas were not clear
can you explain it please?
keep up the good work
by
the poet of hearts and beautiful words
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The poet of the heart:
Moose Horn [the antlers of a Moose] and Little Moccasin [a type of deerskin shoe] are imitations of tribal names for specific stars.
How would you characterise the "white Noise" of radio wave emissions from stars? The poem uses the following metaphors:
"boiling-white-water" is descriptive of the sound of water flowing swiftly over rocks in the rapids of a river.
"It is the sound of many young women laughing;" a happy, giggling
"and the long, drawn-out lake-thunder/echoing at the Ojibwe village by the Great Rapids" The thunderous sound of a waterfall or very large rapids.
If you are not culturally familiar with these sounds, then use your computer skills to google up some audio clips of them.
JG
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I love the voice here. I can't put my finger on exactly why, but it has a very Native American sound. The use of kenning-like constructions ("star-studier," "sky-watching-house") contribute a lot to it, as well. Great images, great tone. Excellent.
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Oh yes, this works!
Now I can hear those stars so much better when I close my eyes. Poetry must be educational as well as enjoyable without being hard to read (IMHO) and this edit makes that so! Nicely shared! j
y
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Just so wonderful! I love the title, love the poem, love the whole thought, which I will think about as I go to sleep tonight. What lovely amazing thoughts you have; I am so glad you share with us on AP.
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Now this is something special. Even a well grounded bushie like me can understand it. On a quiet night with a clear sky I sometimes feel that I am not alone in the night even when there is no one with me. Wonderful piece of writing. Indigenous people stay in tune with their environment while we "developed" people try hard to create our own; and fail.
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