HUNTER by Jasper Compton
There is a rhythm we play with our feet.
A sound, a word, a life, one beat.
Before now, I didn’t know our music existed.
Before now, I didn’t believe our song resurrected.
I cannot speak my fluent language, so I must remain a student.
I cannot speak my native tongue, so I learn in bits and pieces.
Do I have a right to own this?
This pain, and this hardship.
It is not mine to bear alone,
It is a hole within our home.
Around the fire, we dance and we sing.
Oh creator, please help us find the spirit that we, your children, seek.
Jasper Compton
Like many I’ve come to know, I’m part indigenous and part settler. I wanted to create a poem for everyone, while honouring the different parts of myself and my friends/family.