Six Prayers

Thunderer     God of the turbulent sky     may my turbulent mind shape for my people rain clouds beans pumpkins and yams. East Spirit Dawn Spirit     may birds awaken in the forest of teeth whose river     your color     must say frozen mountains’ prayer that you will loosen them. Spirit of the North whose star is our white mark like the blaze we chop in the black bark where the trail home divides even in our homes we need you to guide. Spirit of the Sunset West may gray clouds hiding friends from me glow like yours that we grope toward each other through a vivid rose. Spirit of the South direction of warm wind warm rain and the winter sun like a pale painting of a morning glory help me     Spirit     that in my mind humble things a man may give to his child may grow the blue of berry orange of squash crimson of radish yellow of corn when the green of even the tallest pine is wolf tooth white. Spirit of the Earth keeper of Mother Father Sister Brother loved ones all once praying as I pray or in some other way Spirit     the black dirt is like the black cover of a book whose words are black ink I can not read but I place my brown hand on snow and pray that more than snow may melt.