I learned this word
spe pu c’n
It is the name of my ancestor
from my grandfathers side
spe pu c’n
It means His voice… or
Their voices carried across the land
this land
all over this land
Their voices carried in the trees
through the leaves in their chatter
Their voices carried in the rain
through thunder and lightning
Their voices carried in the tumble
of water careening to the confluence
The confluence where
the waters divide
Their voices carried across the land
Their laughter
their stories
their love on the land
spe pu c’n
My voice
I’ve used my voice to leave messages
in the trees
in the rain
in the winds four directions
for you to find
raining down in drops of water
down n’sis’oolowx
down nkmaplqs the big lake, through the dams
straight to the river of your heart
where the memory
of the eternal migration lies beating
Their voices carried us through the ages
Can you hear them now?