THE LAUGHING PINE

Awakened under a fiery red sky. The wind was tossing the Queen in a playful dance while the great pine bobbed slowly. I think he was laughing. The sky turned yellow, then gray. Some of the clouds still had rosy bellies. A pelican went over closing the day with a long zipper. Here comes the sun like a burst of fire through the palm leaves.

Jennifer Nez Denetdale, "Forced removal of the Dine' (and other first nation peoples) was part of the cycle of invasion, conquest, removal and colonization that facilitated white settlement of America." She said the people suffered, the land did not recognize them, they starved and sickened, and the women were subjected to sexual assault.

At 7:27AM it had begun to rain and the song of falling water was raised around me. The Queen had grown more settled under the shallow breath of Father Sky.

Sue took me to the Indian Harbour Montessori School today. I told stories to 4-6 year olds. I taught them the crab dance. Sue took photos and they are hysterical. I had so much fun. Then we stopped at Mama Jo's for gifts.

I wish you coud hear the mesmerizing wind song of the Queen and her green court. As she swings her aching arms I feel her reaching for me and I am weak-kneed in knowing we are toe to toe at heart, this woman in a skirt and the woman in the tree.