Of Grass and Keota
"Prairie Hydration" Keota Colorado © 1998 Carl Erickson
Riding crest,
Riding crest,
Of wave of grass,
Of wave of grass,
Beyond horizon,
Beyond horizon,
Gone to visit,
Gone to visit,
Sheaves of Gold.
Sheaves of Gold.
Midst the steppes,
Midst the steppes,
Of short-grass,
Of short-grass,
Wonder, till,
Wonder, till,
All under,
All under,
Grow the Gold.
Grow the Gold.
Under waves,
Under waves,
Lie ancient,
Lie ancient,
Wallows. Wait,
Wallows. Wait,
Táraha',
Táraha',
Gone for Gold.
Gone for Gold.
Grass to fill,
Grass to fill,
A warrior's,
A warrior's,
Belly. Sod,
Belly. Sod,
Now tired,
Now tired,
Plowed to Gold.
Plowed to Gold.
Played out,
Played out,
Dust from,
Dust from,
Dried out,
Dried out,
Furrows. Snuffing,
Furrows. Snuffing,
Out sun of Gold.
Out sun of Gold.
Bread grass,
Bread grass,
Ground will not,
Ground will not,
Bring forth,
Bring forth,
Withers. Again,
Withers. Again,
Short-grass of Gold.
Short-grass of Gold.
Grass returns,
Grass returns,
Again lays,
Again lays,
Under. Here,
Under. Here,
Tá and párus,
Tá and párus,
Play in Gold.
Play in Gold.
Hearth left,
Hearth left,
Vacant, door,
Vacant, door,
Left open.
Left open.
Again Keota,
Again Keota,
Turned to Gold.
Turned to Gold.
© 2016 Carl Erickson
Backstory: Táraha' is a male bison, tá is a mule deer and párus is a rabbit, all three are Pawnee words. Also a plains word is keotá and the two meanings of this word ('gone to visit' and 'fire gone out') are used in the poem.