Women are cooking outside over the fire
Women are cooking outside.
They are slapping the dough around and gazing at each other.
They look around every now and then.
They are probably watching their children and grandchildren, as they cook.
They are talented mothers.
Even their breadmaking is done with great care.
Their tortillas don’t have big lips.
Their tortillas don’t even have holes in them.
Translated by the author from the Navajo
Notes:
Audio version performed by the author
Read the Navajo-language version by the author, “sáanii kǫ’ yee da’ałt’eis tł’óo’gi.”
Source: Poetry (July/August 2022)