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)