Truly American

Day 1

Amaru spoke to me today
In an undecipherable tone.
He spoke of a story I wanted to hear
In a way I really did not.

They're here, he said,
They're here once again.
I let my long hair loose from the braid,
But it did not feel comfortable.

Perhaps I once would
And yes, I did once,
Welcome the newcomers,
Listen to the prophecies.

Day 2

I sharpened a quartz point
Which was Father's job,
Dyed clothing
Which was Mother's job.

I asked the spirits for help
Without my family.
I stood by the water
Without my friends.

Why was I alone?
This answer's simple.
They went to trade
But didn't come back.

Day 3

Their urgency was reasonable,
My family's thoughts jumbled.
They thought strangers could help
But their friends couldn't.

Drought's an awful thing.
The strangers are leaving.
I went to them, crying,
And asked for my family.

They looked at each other
Not understanding.
My words were translated
And I got my family's fingers.

Day 4

Before the strangers left,
They told us of a blessing.
They told us of a land,
They told us of happiness.

Before the strangers left,
They gave a cross.
They gave a book, and
They gave a stick.

The stick was new,
But I was not curious.
They took too much
And gave too little.

Day 5

What I did like, though
Was a strange animal.
It was the size of a human
With beautiful eyes.

It had four legs
Which carried it like wind.
A long flowing mane
And an easy grace.

Amaru gave it to me.
I decided not to weave,
Like a proper girl,
But instead take it to the lake.

Day 6

Today I tried fishing.
It's a man's job,
But a man cannot be
So patient as I.

My patience is my blessing.
Not Catholicism.
Not the Cross.
Not Christianity.

I did not yell,
Nor scream,
Nor thrash,
When my family was taken.

Day 7

I discover I do not fish
For the food, or the peace.
I fish for salmon.
I fish for good luck.

I must believe in luck.
Luck will help me.
With luck, I will heal.
With luck, I won't scar.

I'll find more people
That I can confide in,
Share my secrets with.
That is what I'll do with luck.

Day 8

Amaru cut his hair,
As did many other men.
They wear strange clothing,
But honestly, they always have.

Even if they always have,
This is even weirder.
It's a dress, but split.
Split right through the middle.

What else is split that way?
My family, whose fingers I hold.
Just not through the middle,
But in many different ways.

Day 9

Because of my young age,
Because I'm pretty,
A new family asked
For me to join theirs.

I have not caught one yet.
I haven't caught a salmon.
What brings this luck, I wonder?
I won't even know.

Maybe it was the stars.
Maybe the deer from earlier.
The trees did like greener,
And the water bluer.

Day 10

I'd not been given a name yet.
My family was taken before.
It was bad timing, very bad
But I like my new name anyway.

They named me Anna.
It's a peculiar name.
What's more peculiar is
Their clothing, their items.

They told me they'd go on a ship,
And sail far away.
Away from here,
To Britain, perhaps another tribe.