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| Tarbh Mall ag Guí (Grianghraf: Edward S. Curtis) |
Remember
Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is. I met her
in a bar once in Iowa City.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother's, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe. I heard her singing Kiowa war
dance songs at the corner of Fourth and Central once.
Remember that you are all people and that all people are you.
Remember that you are this universe and that this universe is you.
Remember that all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember that language comes from this.
Remember the dance that language is, that life is.
Remember.
~ Joy Harjo ~
(How We Become Human)
Cuimhnigh
Cuimhnigh ar an spéir faoinar rugadh thú,
cuir eolas ar scéal gach réalta.
Cuimhnigh ar an ngealach, bíodh fhios agat cé hí féin. Bhuaileas léi uair amháin i dtábhairne i gCathair Iowa.
Cuimhnigh ar bhreith na gréine le breacadh an lae, an chuid is treise den am. Cuimhnigh ar luí
na gréine nuair a ghéilltear don oíche.
Cuimhnigh ar do bhreith, do mháthair ag streachailt
chun foirm is anáil a thabhairt duit. Fianaise
ar a saol siúd is ea thú, agus a máthair roimhe is a saol siúd.
Cuimhnigh ar d’athair. Eisean do shaolsa leis.
Cuimhnigh ar an gcré, óir is tú craiceann na cré:
cré dhearg, cré dhubh, cré bhuí, cré bhán
cré dhonn, is cré sinn.
Cuimhnigh ar na plandaí, crainn, na hainmhithe
is a dtreibh féin go léir acu, a dteaghlach,
stair dá gcuid féin. Labhair leo,
éist leo. Is dánta beo iad.
Cuimhnigh ar an ngaoth. Cuimhnigh ar a guth. Is eol di
bunús na cruinne. Chuala mé í agus amhráin damhsa
cogaidh Kiowa á rá aici uair amháin
ag cúinne Fourth agus Central.
Cuimhnigh gur tusa na daoine go léir agus
na daoine go léir is tusa iad.
Cuimhnigh gur tusa an chruinne agus an chruinne tusa.
Cuimhnigh go bhfuil an uile ní ag bogadh, ag fás, ionatsa.
Cuimhnigh gurb as sin go léir a thagann teanga.
Cuimhnigh ar an damhsa is teanga ann, is beatha ann.
Cuimhnigh.
MYND
MYND the lift ye wur born unner,
ken ilka yin o the sterns an thair crack.
MYND the muin, ken whae she is. A trystit
wi'r in a boozer yince in Iowa Ceetie.
MYND the sin's birth it daw, yon's
the stainchest pynt o tyme. Mynd sindoon
An the slumpin awa tae nicht.
MYND yer birth, hou yer mither raxit
tae gie ye form'n braith. Ye'r pruif o her life,
an her mither's, an hers.
MYND yer faither. He's yer life an aw.
MYND the yirth whae's skin ye are:
reid yirth, bleck yirth, yalla yirth, fite yirth
broon yirth, we'r yirth.
MYND the plants, treen, beast life whae aw hae
thair clans, thair faimilies, thair heestorie, an aw. Speir thaim,
hearken tae thaim. Thay'r leevin musardrie.
MYND the wund. MYND her vyce she kens the stert
o the universe. A hearkent tae'r croonin Kiowa weir
daunce sangs it the cunyie o fowerth'n central yince.
MYND thit ye'r aw fowk an aw fowk'r you.
MYND thit ye'r this universe an this universe is you.
MYND thit awthing's in motion, is growein, is you.
MYND thit leid cums frae this.
MYND the daunce thit leid is, thit life is.
MYND