the way and the way things are
by nila northSun
gramma thinks about her grandchildren
they’re losing the ways
don’t know how to talk indian
don’t understand me when
i ask for tobacco
don’t know how to skin a rabbit
sad sad
they’re losing the ways
but gramma
you told your daughters
marry white men
told them they would have
nicer houses
fancy cars
pretty clothes
could live in the city
gramma your daughters did
they couldn’t speak indian anymore
how could we grandchildren learn
there are no rabbits to skin
in the city
we have no gramma there to
teach us the ways
you were still on the reservation
asking somebody anybody
please
get me tobacco
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