Re: Merry Solstice! -Frohes Julfest!

> Dear Friends,
>
>             Last July 24 my home burned down, what a
> shock that was! A house fire takes its toll in many
> ways. In my search to understand this tragedy I came
> across a poem by Simon Ortiz that put me back on my
> path, and with the help of many friends my home is
on
> its way to being rebuilt.
>
> I would like to share this special poem with you in
this time of celebration.
>
>                     Damacio Lopez
>
>
>
> A man makes his prayers, he sing his songs he
> considers all that is important and special to
him-his
> home, his children, his language, the self that he
is.
> He must make spiritual and physical preparation
before
> anything else. Only then does anything begin.
>
> A man leaves; he encounters all manner of things. He
> has adventures, meets people, acquires knowledge,
goes
> different places; he is always looking. Sometimes
the
> traveling is hazardous; sometimes he finds meaning
and
> sometimes he is destitute. But he continues; he
must.
> His traveling is a prayer as well, and he must keep
> on.
>
> A man returns, and even the returning has moments of
> despair and tragedy. But there is beauty and there
is
> joy. At times he is confused, and at times he sees
> with utter clarity. It is all part of the traveling
> that is a prayer. There are things he must go
through
> before he can bring back what he seeks, before he
can
> return to himself.
>
> The rain comes and falls. The /shiwana/ have heeded
> the man, and they have come. The man has brought
back
> the rain. It falls, and is nourishing. The man
returns
> to the strength that his selfhood is, his home, his
> people, his language, the knowledge of who he is.
The
> cycle has been traveled; life has beauty and
meaning,
> and it will continue because life has no end.
>
> SIMON J. ORTIZ - AUTHOR – ACOMA PUEBLO – NEW MEXICO
>
>
>
> =====
> Damacio A. Lopez
> 1322 1/2 Lopezville
> Socorro, New Mexico 87801
> (505) 838-0263


=====
Damacio A. Lopez
1322 1/2 Lopezville
Socorro, New Mexico 87801
(505) 838-0263







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