I will paint my body and yours
With the stripes of the morning rainbow.
I will heat my body and yours
With the tones of red and yellow.
I will cover myself with green
To dissolve in the spring grass.
You'd better look at me, my queen,
With no coldness in black eyes.
You'd better shake your long thighs
In the rhythm of heart tattoo.
You'd better show me love signs
In the sounds reminding of youth.
You'd better throw your human attire
With the old and useless doubts
Into the crackled ritual fire
Yielding to force of the Dene Shaman.
You'd better paint my body and yours
With the spots of blue and white.
Then we will look like the loons
Two Metis with mixed blood.
We will fly around the lake,
The deep water of our feelings,
Over the hills, wild and naked,
Far away to the north ice fields.
November 11, 1995.