John Whirlwind’s Doublebeat Songs, 1956
1.
Menwi – yakwatoni – beskonewiani.
Kyebakewina – maneniaki
ketekattiki
ebemanemateki
ebemanemateki
*
Good-smelling are these flowers.
As it turned out, they were milkweeds
dance-standing
as the wind passes by,
as the wind passes by.
2.
Inike – ekatai – waseyaki
netena – wasesi.
Memettine
beskattenetisono.
Memettine.
*
It is now almost daylight,
I said to the firefly.
For the last time
illuminate yourself.
For the last time.
Credit
Originally published in the New Yorker. Copyright © 2017 by Ray A. Young Bear. Used with the permission of the author.
Date Published
01/16/2018