Isolz
- (ba Tam Sharp, frɘm First Nations)
- Atu, Agatu,
- Kiska, Amchitka, Tanaga, Kanaga,
- Adak, Kagalaska, Atka, Amlya, Amukta, Yunaska,
- Umnak, Unalaska, Akutan, Unymak, Unga.
- (Ber εsd ɘn Unga fadɘr madɘro meo.)
- Ovɘr isolz re-dozyre ovɘr mytɘr-dozymyz re-dozyme,
- “namuno, wind-swypynis, kludlois, e montfyris,”
- bu intɘr da ghesanis most
- e lokos bεlis most.
- *
- Lyfyn ɘn isolz,
- smal ro big,
- flot εsεnt ovɘr mεrz.
- Luk ɘp; luk dɘ.
- Tond in da sky,
- tond on da hean.
- Stand inɘr mez,
- in a loko ɘn a hil
- covɘrfron εsdεnt frɘm da wind.
- *
- Ba, al ghunt.
- Nydyn lεvɘp εsakt mez
- hεlp εsakt le mordo lenop.
- Nydyn lεvɘp εsakt
- mez εs bits flot εsεnt in limitnoshɘn leno.
Islands
- (by Tom Sharp, from First Nations)
- Attu, Agattu,
- Kiska, Amchitka, Tanaga, Kanaga,
- Adak, Kagalaska, Atka, Amlia, Amukta, Yunaska,
- Umnak, Unalaska, Akutan, Unimak, Unga.
- (My mother’s father was born on Unga.)
- Over 200 islands over 2000 kilometers,
- “treeless, windswept, foggy, and volcanic,”
- yet among the richest
- and most beautiful places.
- *
- We live on islands,
- small or big,
- floating over oceans.
- Look up; look down.
- Thunder in the sky,
- thunder on the shore.
- We stand between,
- in a place on a hill
- protected from the wind.
- *
- Near, all together.
- No one needs to teach us
- to help one another.
- No one needs to teach
- we are specks floating in infinity.
