Today: A rare glimpse at an old poem of mine.

Now With Regret

 

from my first footsteps on the tundra

Kindergarten & 8th Grade Graduation. I'm the under-dressed kid.

I wanted to learn from the people

Raven made from a ball of clay

I wanted to speak with them

their language came from the earth

mine, a theft of all those before it

I tried at first,

but couldn’t escape the mirror of

that pale faced boy, who came before me

too much to bear

or perhaps

I used Adam as an excuse

my cowardice

not to learn

When their words kissed my ears

I would answer back

quietly in Kassatuun

in Kass'aq

White man.

so secretly longing to share

but not brave enough to choke on my pride

ignorance burning in my cheeks

Now with regret

I pour over books

and try to make my old brain

absorb and remember

everything I didn’t allow myself to become

Don Rearden

12/13/06