WORLD VOICES

THE LANGUAGE RAVEN GAVE US
  BY JOHN E. SMELCER


Contents

Home
Introduction

About the Author
Creation Myth
Playing Hide-and-Seek
    with Raven

The Indian Prophet
On Feet of Clouds
Song of the Rain
Prayer Singer
Zen Raven
A Sufficient Wisdom
Loonsong
Raven's Trans-Species
    Love Song

Squirrel Man
Muskrat Woman
Mountain Smoke

World Voices Home

The Literary Explorer
Writers on the Job
Books Forgotten
Thomas E. Kennedy
Walter Cummins
Web Del Sol





ZEN RAVEN



Raven wanted to learn patience.

So he sat amid stones
on a mountain
for a thousand years—

neither he nor the stones
saying a word.





SAGHANI GGAAY ZEN



Saghani Ggaay den ghaetl'.

Xa' dii daa yae' ts'es
dghelaay ts'en'
c'etiy xay—

Saghani Ggaay 'eł ts'es
kole ghaas.