45 : houses + housing

nutr mayzoon [our home]

place heart home

SUZANNE STEELE

Portable, my pocket carries home.

Open this, hear the songs tales of sinew, silver needles, silk threads, glass beads the prayers rising from wolf willow rosary — all is prairie smoke these languages of all my beloveds, my befores:

Kaashki kwaashonaan lii roozh faroosh

[We sew wild roses]

avek di sway ipi lii riban Japonaise,

[with silk threads and Japanese ribbons]

li perl en vit di Venice —

[Glass beads from Venice] vraa bleu, vayr, zhoon, lapis lazuli, opal blaan, mazarine, celestial, cornelian, turquoise, horentin...

Ikwewak niinawind, ninanaan da wii kemin, meh en do taa mung. [we women, this is what we do]

Ga Gashkiwaaso min, shi koo ni nookwezomin, di zhitoomin yah ka maanaaduck chi onizhishing

[sew and smudge, make the ugly beautiful]

Oo taa pi naan, webin nig aa naan, oo shi toon mino pimatisiwin.

[take scraps of life, create good life]

This little pocket, this little purse, with you I carry my millennia, my centuries, with you I am at home.

o

26 on site review 45: houses + housing

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