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Moments In Between

Black Elk Speaks to Me about Turtles

It was raining heavily upon the nothing
And all in existence was rain.
Drops of water ever falling
From one edge of darkness
Into infinity.

But from a single raindrop 
Emerged the great Turtle,
the Grandfather of the last world.

“I shall sacrifice my shell”
great Grandfather said.
Dripping drop by drop
The shell slowly caught the ocean.
The sea swept to and fro
no longer endlessly falling,
it kept perpetual motion
and the tide in its cycle spun.

“It is not enough”
old Grandfather said
“To have tides that touch not land.”

“I shall give to this ocean my tail”
and grandfather tore the tail from his ancient body.
This he dropped
into the ocean
where it rooted to the bottom
the flesh-borne island grew
and at once became
like the continents the great Turtle once knew
and walked upon.

“It is not enough” said Grandfather
“For what good is land,
with no one to walk upon it.”

“I shall give up my blood”
and Turtle cut himself
dripping crimson into the sea.
Each drop became a creature.
Some creatures were happy 
these became all manner of fish,
some swam to land
stood up and became the four legged clan.
Of these some wanted to be higher and stood on two feet
and of these some sought the freedom of flight
growing wings of desire they leapt away.

Grandfather sat back grinning,
smoking upon his pipe.
He watched what he had created
and loved all he saw.

“But it is not enough”
Grandfather said again.
“My children know each other
through touch, smell, taste and sound.
As I see, so shall they.”

“I shall sacrifice my eyes
one to see during day,” he said.
“One to see at night.”
So saying he removed his eyes.
Blindly he placed them
on opposite ends of the sky.

Grandfather sat back listening
as the world sang out a happy song,
a good song,
praising each other’s beauty
praising Grandfather’s body
from which they and all things were born.

Grandfather puffed upon his pipe,
filling himself up with smoke,
he rose to the heavens
and from behind his floating eyes
looked upon his children once again.