Earth is Not an "It"

 

"When the people call Earth 'Mother,'
they take with love
and with love give back
so that all may live.

"When the people call Earth 'it,'
they use her
consume her strength
Then the people die.

"Already the sun is hot
out of season.
Our mother's breast is going dry.
She is taking all green into her heart
and will not turn back
until we call her by her name."

 

Marilou Awiakta,
Cherokee Nation

Photos: (Top) Long's Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO; May 19, 2014; (Middle) A hiker contemplates on the rock above Gem Lake; Rocky Mountain National Park, CO; May 19, 2014; (Bottom)  A lone Lambert Crazyweed pushes up through the cracked soil; Badlands National Park, SD; May 17, 2014

Our Mother's breast is going dry.

When the people call Earth "Mother,"

they take with love

and with love give back

so that all may live.

When the people call Earth "it,"

they use her

consume her strength

Then the people die.

Already the sun is hot

out of season.

Our mother's breast is going dry.

She is taking all green into her heart

and will not turn back

until we call her by her name.

Marilou Awiakta

Cherokee Nation

Photo: A perfect breast of rock juts up into the sky near Estes Park, CO; December 7, 2012.  The red-barked shrubs are willow.

Let us call Earth by her true name: "Mother."

                                                  "When the people call Earth 'Mother,'
                                                    they take with love
                                                    and with love give back
                                                    so that all may live.

                                                    When the people call Earth 'it,'
                                                     they use her
                                                     consume her strength
                                                     Then the people die.

                                                     Already the sun is hot
                                                     out of season.
                                                     Our mother's breast
                                                      is going dry.
                                                      She is taking all green
                                                      into her heart
                                                      and will not turn back
                                                      until we call her
                                                      by her name."

                                                      Marilou Awiakta

                                                      Cherokee Nation

Photo: Silvery Lupine blooming in Castle Valley, UT; April 21, 2012