reclaiming my native language
in a land of strangers
where the words of my mother
tongue are sometimes too
alien and distant
I need to be back in my home land
where the words are spoken every day
my native language has no words
for hate, anger, racism, or violence
only one phrase holds it all…
when I return home and tell of
where I live and the tales
they remark how strange and
lonely it must be
when I tell them of what they
do to the earth and environment
my family’s eyes tear up
and remark .. “How sad!”
“You must come home, it is
too lonely and too much sadness.”
And then they hug me in the ways
of our language filled with comfort.
“No!” I need to teach them all the
words and deeds our language.
In our language there is only one
word.
In our culture there is only one
deed
In our culture there is only one
law
One church
One people
It is all called
Love.