Emerging

Act I:                            Níyol

Dah adii’ąągo dá’ák’ehgóó deeshwoł.


Act II:                          Chahałheeł

Once upon a time, { five-fingered being cold      air
sunrise } stepped into a sentence: Nizhónígo bi’éé’ holǫǫ
dooleeł. Éé’tsoh diłhiłgo yii’ doo’nah. They stepped
further into the words. There is water; łeets’aa’ nímazí
shee hólǫ. There is a meadow, a winter’s meadow,
gathering in a bright morning.


Act III:                         Dąąn

Shándíín;
Hootsoh ayóo bits’ą’dinídíín.
Saad ‘adííłhéelgo yiiłtsą.


Act IV:                          Shį

Bóhoosh’aah
I stand in the sun
with an empty bowl
meant for a river

Notes:

Audio version performed by the author.

Source: Poetry (July/August 2022)