| maskêko-sâkahikan | |
| poem: Mika Lafond | |
| Cree translation: Gladys Wapass-Greyeyes | |
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| ê-ati kîwêyân | homebound |
| êpasakwâpîyan wâyaw pêci nâway niwâhpahtên kîkway kâpê kîwêtotamân niwîhkôtên nitaskîy nitaskîy mihcêt miciminam mamaskahc kîkwaya nipê asê kiwênikon itê ênistawêyitamân pêyatikwêyimôwin nitakâkêyitên oski miskamowina | closing my eyes I see a far off past. what brings me back home, the connection to my land. my land holds many wonders, I fall back on these comforts where familiarity brings me peace of mind and I delight in youthful discoveries: |
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| asinîs êwâsapiskisot | how the sparkle of rock |
| nimêskwâpimâw mina nimamitonêyitam | caught my eye and I imagined |
| yiyiko êwîyôta nitaskîy | the riches of my land |
| yitâmihk | buried deep |
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| ayîkihsak pêhtâkosiwak | when the melody of frogs |
| niwîhtamâkon ê-mîyoskamik | told me that spring had come, |
| tâkâpan | its crisp morning air |
| kâmîyo-tâkosicik piyêsîsak | the harmony of birds |
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| kâkwâmwahci tipiskâk | where the silence of night |
| nimîyikon pêyâhtik takana-wahpahtamân | gave me time for contemplation |
| tânitawâpênamân nipawâtamôwina | to investigate my dreams |
| mêscâkanis wanêwo-tam kâkwâmwâtaniyik | the simplicity broken only by coyote’s howl |
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| kâpasoyân kimôwan | when the smell of rain |
| nikiskisohikon nîpin | reminded me of summer freshness |
| mwêstas kâ-misi kitocik | after the loud claps of thunder |
| ê-pakamih-cîcêtotâkik | applauded the passing storm. |
| kâ-ati mâyi kîsikâyik | |
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| nisâsâkîtin ê-ati mîyaskamân kîkway kâ-miskamân kîsiwâw nikâwiy askiy okaskitêw-asîskiy miciminam nitôcêpihkoma nitaskîy miciminam nitehi nipê miskâson kîhtwâm kayâs âcimowini sâkihitôwinihk mina kâpâhpi nimiskên ita ê-ohciyan kâpê âhkamêyimocik ê-kiskinota-mawicik sakihitowin manâcisowin mina kisêwâcisiwin miskikâtêw nanaskomôwini mina atoskêwini | continuing past these findings I walk along barefoot, feel the warmth of mother earth, her soft black dirt that holds my roots. my land holds my heart. I come back again to find myself in old stories of love and laughter. I find my connection to family, their efforts to teach me that love, respect and kindness are founded in thankfulness and hard work. |
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| nôhkom kipimohtâtam oma asiskîy | nôhkom walked this same soil |
| ê-asamât ôpâhpahâkwânima | feeding her chickens |
| nikiskinohamâk tanisisi pimacisowin êyispayik | teaching me about the cycle of life |
| mêkwahc ê-wâsakâskâkot ositi | as they clucked around her feet. |
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| nimôsom kî-pîkopitam askîy | nimôsom turned the packed earth |
| mitâtahtomtanaw askîya aspin | one hundred years ago |
| mina tâyiwêpîhtât otayimihowina | and the breadth of his struggles |
| kêyapich nokwaniyow kistikanihk | can still be seen in the dancing fields. |
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| ênitawi kiskisîyan êkoni kîsikâwa aspin wîyê | reminiscing on days gone by |
| kâwi nimiyomâhcihon | I feel the joys again |
| ninikîhikwak nipihkôtamâkwâk | my parents brought me. |
| mîwêyimowin okayaw-siyiniwa ôchi | enjoyment of the fruits of their labor. |
| nohtâwiy kistikêw okistikâni | my father sowing his crop: |
| pêyakoskanâw wâpakwanîya | a row of lilies and roses |
| kistikêw oskâtaskwa napatâkwa mina mâhtâmina | a garden of carrots, potatoes and corn |
| misi kistikêw pahkwêsikanî kana | a vast field of wheat. |
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| nikâwiy ayoskana | my mother’s luscious raspberries |
| cîki êkôta | just a few steps away |
| ayoskanâpoy | where the tangy red juices |
| atihtêwa nîpihta mina nitôn | stained my lips and teeth. |
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| nipê wâyinîn ita ê-ohciyân tawâhpahtamân pêyakwâw mina tapêyatikwêyimowin âsici acâhkosak | I come back to find solace in my history, to see the depth of the sky once more, to fall away to peacefulness with the stars. |
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| nipêtên nitaskiy nikamôwin | I hear the song of my land, |
| nikana-wapamawâk nicâpan-panak | watch my ancestors |
| nimîhitowak akwanâna oskaskosi mina nîpâmayatan âkosiyiwa | as they dance in shawls of purple and green |
| kiwêtinohk ôcisimôwak | across the northern sky |
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| nipê kîwân | I come home again |
| nikiskisomison | to remind myself |
| niwîcêkon nitâskîy | my land is with me. |
