As I Sit Here
By Joseph Chunn
As
I sit here,
I see a vapor
rises from the
spring. In the vapor
I see a strange ghost like
movement. What kind of thing
moves around me in this ancient
ring. I see tepees, circled smoke rising
from internal fires. My pulse quickens as
I see the old ones come from the teepees, the
old ones were here hundreds of years before me.
The vapor rises higher and the sun casts a rainbow
The old ones call to the children to come and see. They
laugh and point, their smiles growing. I shudder a bit, I
am to witness this, awakening inside me is a knowledge I
have been this way before. Soft South winds blow the vapor to
the side and my vision is cleared, I am moving toward the center
of the ring. Something pulls me from where I am to where I used to
be. I hear the rush of sweet hot water and know I am back at Manataka
The children notice me first, they seem aware I am floating into their world.
Silently, I see a young boy point in my direction and his sister see me also. They
are not afraid but call to their Grandfather. He says he knows me, that I come to visit
on gentle days on the light South wind when spirits are blown back and forth in time. I
wish I could speak to tell them I was here long ago and they must treasure what they find here
but I know they already do so. Grandfather tells them that the Gray Ghost they see only wishes to check on the tribe and see that they love the valley and once satisfied he will drift away on the South wind that brought him here. The children watch as I moved by and the little girl waves, the little boy looks at me with hard eyes. Grandfather tells him there is no need to be concerned
that the Gray Ghost is a white path spirit with a
heart of red. That softened the little boy's eyes
and brought a slight smile. Grandfather said
you will see him again on the soft South wind
days and he will come to know you and you him. So when I am gone and your
grandchildren see him you can tell them that he is a spirit of long ago. He only
wishes to see if they love Manataka as he does and then he will drift away.
As I sit here the smoke from the fire blows to my eyes and they tear. Was I
there? When I wipe the tears from my eyes the old ones are gone. Hau Ho!
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