When I woke...

This morning I'm thinking abut John Trudell -- perhaps because I'm thinking about the events in life that motivate poets. Some are harsh, brutal - some are striking, touching - the challenge for a poet is to capture these moments with words. Make them into something and if inspired, share them with others.

A Reason for Corn
By Toni


John Trudell is following the lines
as a mandate for his life
since the day of the fire

before following the lines
there was Vietnam and Alcatraz
Wounded Knee and the BIA

he warned us on the day he burned the US flag
in 12 hours
smoke and flames
claimed all he loved in this world

for now, his love’s are embedded in the land
he knows that five bodies
in boxes
below dirt
will surely grow corn

so, John Trudell will follow the lines
as any poet must
until the day the land swallows him whole
and corn grows in lines
where he once stood

John Trudell is a poet and activist.His outspoken ways and probing questions have made him a major element in the American Indian Movement. He lost his wife and children in a suspicious house fire. He may not see himself as a hero – because frequently, a hero moves through the world with the best intentions, this alone is heroic.

What's The Reason?

I'm not a believer in the age old refrain, "everything happens for a reason" - in fact, I lean in the opposite direction. Sure, there are many things that happen randomly, many beyond our control. Wisdom is the ingredient that helps us understand the difference.

By examining various aspects and events in life we can begin to see patterns in thought and behavior. We can see how we respond to certain things in the same way, or have reactions and make choices we told ourselves we wouldn't repeat. Sometimes we are able to predict what will happen because the behaviors and emotions are so familiar. We might even say, if I do this, that will happen -- so, what can we do about it?

Maybe the answer is simple: responsibility and the courage to admit one's mistakes. The first step is to think about our part in things - what did we do or not do? How did we contribute to the outcome? Did we exhibit behaviors that led to the very place we are in right now? How is this scenario like something in the past? What could we have done differently?

The essence is in taking responsibility for our part rather than the blame we load on others. This takes courage and maturity. It's worth it!