Rainy Dawn

Rainy Dawn


I agreed to give birth to my daughter.
I was twenty-one and in a difficult relationship with someone
I knew down to my bones.

It was a difficult time in Indian country.
We were at war, yet we were full of hope and ideas on how it
could all work out, beautifully.
Wounded Knee was the outcome of many skirmishes all over
the country. In New Mexico there were many.

One of our Kiva Club members, Larry Casuse was killed
by the Gallup police. I had a small son. I was painting
and poetry was starting to come forth out of these times.

Then one night in the middle of the mess my daughter's spirit
came to me. She looked as she does now, as I have seen her
through all the ages I've known her from birth to now 33
and much older. Though logically this was the worst time
to conceive: there was no money, I was in a precarious
relationship, I was still in school and had plans to go
to graduate school, and as nations within nations we were
struggling, I said yes, when she asked me to give birth to her.
There was no question.
I have never regretted that decision.

Joy Harjo 2006