Leaving Her Bones

'Besties'

Cree girls fishing at Moose Factory

I am awestruck by the journeys of my grandmothers

and often imagine their lives and the places they 

have left their bones.

Most came out of Africa, traveled with their tribes

through Europe to Ireland and Scotland and 

eventually came in great ships to the new world.

But one grandmother was already here.

Three hundred or so years ago my Mohawk 

grandmother left her bones in what  became 

the US.

Her beautiful brown pagan face stands out 

for me right now like a shiny new chestnut 

lying in a bowl of fresh bananas.

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