Personal and Cultural Identity

Dear Pope

Der Pope

forgive me for writing on dis newspaper

i found it in da outhouse, saw lines

dat said you is sorry

some of my indian friends say is good but

some of dem say you sorry don’t walk

so i was sitting here dinking dat we

maybe dalk

say, i always want to dell you stay

out of my pissness

if me wants to dalk to trees

and build nests in house

dats hup to me

if me wants to pitch my dent

and feed da ghost bannock hen berries

and maybe drow some indian popcorn

for you geezuz dats hup to me

i don’t hask forgiveness not want

hand mary’s, or a step ladder to heaven

me is happy with da sky, da bird Iyiniwak,

four-legged Iyiniwak, i is happy

sorry mean dat I don’t need yous church

and yous priest telling me what to do

sorry mean dat i free to dalk to Manitou

the spirits and plant Iyiniwak

dats all for now, poop

maybe we dalk again next time i see you

in da newspaper.

Louise Bernice Half (1994)