Pre-dawn

Pre dawn, part two 
 

Lay lo la rose before dawn

As she always tended to do

Crossing the longhouse lawn

prints in the wet morning dew

 

She went through the woods

And up the small creek

Identifying some local foods

to dig up later next week

 

Salmon berries, licorice root

Wonderful in hot spice tea

Mushrooms n’ fresh fern shoots

Natures gifts grown free

 

She followed a trail to the pond

To the head of a dead end clearing

She didn’t plan to take long

Just get rid of the nights smearing

 

Red clay on her round cheeks

A hint of wild berry dye

a husband she has come to meet

She intended to catch his eye

 

He had been at the celebration

Nervous looks all around

But thanks to old maid collaboration

old traditions are newly found

 

They would have a formal meet

His grandfather had a vision

I am left to wait for his greet

Till he fulfills his elders mission

 

Seliq-wa-till was the chiefs name

With eyes of liquid brown

Tall n’ dark n’ barely tame

His voice was a rumbling sound

 

She had dreamt of their sons

Several years in the past

Knowing he would be the one

Makes an impression that tends to last

 

Lay lo la was unaware of the quest

That prolonged their introduction

in the mean time as the clans guest

On hold her knowing seduction

 

But she had her silent moment

And headed back to the lodge

No one person who owned it

It belonged to the tribe, not odd

 

Twenty five by eighty was the longhouse

of log, mud and woven thatch work

Sparse, clean, not even a mouse

Not a place some shadow could lurk

 

She pulled back the fur curtain

To the aroma of wood and smoke

A dog raised his head, uncertain

Half a grumble in the back of his throat

 

She dug in her cloak for a treat

She knew how to make friend

With just a tid bit of dried meat

Those growls were quick to end

Julie

D.D.

2/26/2010 first poem on my new computer.