Sweatlodge
The rocks heat upon the fire
Glowing, they’re centered in the sweat
We enter the enclosed lodge
One by one for prayers
To Notawinaw our Father
To the beat of the drum it rocks
Round one, it’s hot as the fire
Have pity on us, Father
Round one in the sweat
One by one we ask for prayers
Together we encircle in the lodge
Shoulder to shoulder in the lodge
Be careful with the rocks
Her plea with tears during prayers
The rocks heat upon the fire
Round two in the sweat
Do you see her tears, Father?
Notawinaw, she cries for her Father
Which is why were here; in the lodge
Round three in the sweat
Again we have more rocks
She cries harder to the fire
Its health she wants, hear her prayers
Tobacco was offered for her prayers
Protocol was followed, Father
She still cries by the fire
Last round in the lodge
Sage, on all forty-four rocks
Sacrifice your towel in this sweat
Slowly, we all exit the sweat
For one self and others we heard prayers
The steam still lingers on the rocks
Grant us our prayers, Father
Until we meet again in the lodge
Stay humble, never light out the fire
Like our ancestors we make the willow lodge, for sweats
Asking for prayers to Notawinaw our father,
All year round we gather rocks and wood for the fire.
Louise Omeasoo
3 comments:
I love how you have used the sestina form to bring out the repetitions and connections that make up a ceremony like the sweat lodge. I also like that you were able to repeat the idea of the tears even though tears was not one of your six "sestina words". I think in the second line of the fourth stanza you mean we're not were.
The use of the word protocol with its scientific connotation seems like a odd contrast with the spiritual themes of the poem.
I would like to see what you could do with more length to the lines, just to give it even more punch. But I really like it as it already.
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