California Indian of the Earth
Poem by Gloria Truvido Armstrong
Goodbye my dearest native land You helped this Indian to know Of a thousand endless beauties . My heart hurts deeply to say goodbye to you dear trees , sacred wildflowers , and animals that give kind heart . The people that buy you will never come as close to your beauty as I was . The person who will sell your roots has lost the spirit song of the wild doves that grace the hills in the spring . I hug you nature spirits , you know I love all of you deeply forever .
Yes , there are other trees , other animals , other flowers , but you were my native land . I was a lonely Indian child from Tortilla Flat by the asphalt street I sing of my Native land that I will love always . I ran like a small deer on your sacred earth , I could run with the wind , butterflies and birds gave their gifts to this humble heart . Wildflowers and ferns blooming and unfurling blessings to soften any suffering of soul that comes in life . Goodbye my dearest native land , your beauty lives forever in this human Indian woman ’ s heart .
38
▼ NEWS FROM NATIVE CALIFORNIA