The steady drum beat.
The high trilling voices.
The whipping colors
of the people.
POW WOW!
The soft stomping of
moccasins upon the earth
matching the shush-shush
shuffle and swish of regalia.
Laughter springs up quickly
and spills everywhere
with the oooooh smells of
frybread and tacos. Ummm.
POW WOW!
The precise layer of
clothing with every feather
placed so that all is presented
the right, good way.
Greetings and chin nods
say it all to friends, neighbors,
and even those who are
the “up ’n’ coming.”
POW WOW!
The shimmer of sun, the
whistle of breezes together
pair for a perfect, blessed
long day until the night.
Ho-wah! Gotta get to the
49 or maybe see if I can
visit a bit longer before
it all ends so beautifully.
Maryam Marne Zafar, a native New Yorker (currently a Minneapolitan), writes poetry that is reflective of local and world events. An artist who is a collage-lithographer, she has had her work acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and become part of private collections. Her day job is as a graphic designer, brand strategist, photographer, and writer, partnering with museums and cultural organizations, nonprofits, small businesses, and other artists and writers to inform and cultivate positive relationships with their respective audiences.
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