Like a Bead on a String

Like an umbilical cord, the rainbow

connects sky to earth:

mother and child hold each other close.

tâpiskôc otisiyêyâpiy pîsimwêyâpiy

ê-itâpêkamohtât askîhk kîsikohk ohci

ê-âkwaskitinitocik awâsis êkwa okâwîmâw.

Like a rawhide rope, the vocal cords

secure the gift of story and song:

grandfather and grandchild hold each other close.

tâpiskôc pîsâkanâpiy pîkiskwêyâpîsa

ê-tipahpitahk miyikowisiwin âcimowin êkwa nikamowin

ê-âkwaskitinitocik mosôm êkwa ôsisima

Like a bead on a string, my great-grandmother

sits next to her kin just long enough

for me to reach for her hands.

tâpiskôc kâ-tâpisahoht mîkis, nitâniskotâpân

apîstawêw owâhkômâkana nahiyikohk

kici-têpinamwak ocihciya.