Loss of a loved one is especially tough this time of year. Bestselling British poet Donna Ashworth shared this poem from her book Loss, that is currently making the rounds on FaceBook, and Solomon Ratt thought it deserved a Cree language treatment. I hope that listening and reading along will help to bring its comfort to those who need it most!
ispî mâna
kâ-kakwâtaki-kwîtawîthimat awiyak
tâpiskôc kikiskisiwina
î-kâsisiki
ta-manisikoyan kitoskanihk isko
kiskisi ithikohk kâ-kî-sâkihiskwâw
kiskisi ithikohk kâ-kî-sâkihiskwâw
ikwa ikosi itôtâsow
owîhthowiniwâw
ta-kistîthimacik
sâkihiso
piyakwan kâ-kî-isi-sâkihiskwâw.
iyakwîthow ta-mithwîthihtamwak.
ispî mâna
kâ-kakwâtaki-kwîtawîthimat awiyak
sâkihiso nawac sôhki
ᐃᐢᐲ ᒫᓇ
ᑳ ᑲᒁᑕᑭ ᑹᑕᐑᖨᒪᐟ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ
ᑖᐱᐢᑰᐨ ᑭᑭᐢᑭᓯᐏᓇ
ᐄ ᑳᓯᓯᑭ
ᑕ ᒪᓂᓯᑯᔭᐣ ᑭᑐᐢᑲᓂᕽ ᐃᐢᑯ
ᑭᐢᑭᓯ ᐃᖨᑯᕽ ᑳ ᑮ ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐢᒁᐤ
ᑭᐢᑭᓯ ᐃᖨᑯᕽ ᑳ ᑮ ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐢᒁᐤ
ᐃᑿ ᐃᑯᓯ ᐃᑑᑖᓱ
ᐅᐑᐦᖪᐏᓂᐚᐤ
ᑕ ᑭᐢᑏᖨᒪᒋᐠ
ᓵᑭᐦᐃᓱ
ᐱᔭᑿᐣ ᑳ ᑮ ᐃᓯ ᓵᑭᐦᐃᐢᒁᐤ᙮
ᐃᔭᑹᖪᐤ ᑕ ᒥᙹᖨᐦᑕᒷᐠ᙮
ᐃᐢᐲ ᒫᓇ
ᑳ ᑲᒁᑕᑭ ᑹᑕᐑᖨᒪᐟ ᐊᐏᔭᐠ
ᓵᑭᐦᐃᓱ ᓇᐘᐨ ᓲᐦᑭ
One Response
This is beautiful. tîniki, creeliteracy.org and Solomon Ratt.