My People

My people are a multitude of one.
Many lives are within them.
Many lives they have lived as various Beings.
They could have been a bear, a lion, an eagle or even
A rock, a river or a tree.
Who knows?
All of these Beings are within them.
They can use them any time they want.
On some days it is good to be a tree
Looking out in all directions at once.
On some days it is better to be a rock
Saying nothing and blind to everything.
On some days the only thing to do is
To fight fiercely like a lion.
Then, too, there are reasons for being an eagle.
When life becomes too hard here
My people can fly away and see
How small the earth really is.
Then they can laugh and come back home again.

— Nancy Wood, Many Winters

______________________________________

The painting is by Robert Bateman. The poem comes from our friend at Wild Resiliency and is returned now with many thanks.

Tags: Add new tag, Eagle, Nancy Wood, Robert Bateman