Narratives of New Netherland 1570 –1951
Journal of John Colman as recorded by his son Simon in 1643
and subsequeantly published in England in 1774 and 1976

2 January 1603

 

Birth of Ado

The Spirit Manitou was born fully formed
of the last nights of every gender.
This was the history of the universe
from big bang to the next, from one
woman to another; and so she lives
in the skin of the beast, and he lives
in the heart of the bear, whilom.

Delivered as girl born of woman
Manitou grew into the web of palms
by her father's revisions. He held her
to his heart and his life twisted
as the dark matter Evermore
made its way through caves to know his
daughter as his one map of Human Beings.

Within the river others drew Manitou's father as
desolate specter of every star
who transformed jaw and mouth
to swallow the path of river drowned estuary.

The private dreams of living
spirits are bound by every step
until the Manitou walks faster.

Thought grew slower as children
made their sacrifice for that is
the motion of the trickster
and every year, century
as Forever we will love
until noon dies.

Child Ska Nee born
from her own father
became inverted mirror
of mother and father.

Her children walk
narrow paths and
have killed many
Human Beings, --
that is the nature
of families within
layers of heaven multiplied
by two times ordinary count
minus the disheveled curses
rounded up to piss off girl
and boy to steal their rings
un-tempered gold or any
wasted decorated medal.

Manitou squints as old woman
and the next infant mewls
splendors; the Manitou
calls out to wolves
and claims children
of children. The void
had spoken – Manitou called
the infant of the infant by name " Ado"
as she lived a Human Being and not a
spirit within great salt waters and rivers
with even the slightest pond
of fire eaten flowers gone mad.
It will be as inferno
begins repeatedly dust to dust.

Ska Nee and Ado cry while wide-eyed fish
covered by fur slimy with bear's grease
and barbs penetrate rose colored skin.
They keep Human Beings alive when
thick ice melts and the chill in wind
blows snakes to tempest of
trees fed by the Manitou's claws.
Her spirit can never stop. She pours
sky in seven directions, and when
mountain raced engines closed dawn,
and river recovered morning.

We are witness, and we welcome red-green sunrise;
Ado dances with father and mother; violet red jewels
do not signal preference or strike us mad or blind.
We revel in the array waiting for some other sign.
Ado is now more than an infant.

Visible or not, child or not;
some called her She who
sleeps inside salted waters.

Others call her next living spirit
-- forget future.

She is master of her room
and can draw her hidden
wickiup raised high for
mourning. Human Beings
gather for death chant.

"Do not cut the mother;
no hunting in her mouth."