By J.D. Whitney
An English approximation of the Lakota “mitakuye oyasin” – which reminds and teaches that all the creatures and energies on this great Earth have person-hood, that everything’s alive and sentient, that “human beings and lower forms of life” – is a self-serving distinction subscribed to by only some members of a single species, that we’re all related and we’re all in this together.
These 106 haiku-like poems speak directly to all the creatures, or relations, quietly surrounding our human lives. Witty and energetic, these poems are a delight to read and share.
COUSIN RAVEN:
Are
you that
other one’s
shadow
or
your own?
COUSIN MOSQUITO:
I apologize
for interrupting
your
dinner
with death.