Painting by Susan Seddon Boulet: 'The Secret'
One day,
many lifetimes ago,
before and after time mattered,
a young Coyote Hawk traveled South
on the same path,
yet in opposite directions,
as a Grandmother Bear.
One of many Grandmothers, Grandmothers.
They were, are, and always will be
great dreamers and visionaries.
They met
for what would normally have been
only a moment.
Gramma Bear said,
“Haudy-do, young Coyote Hawk.”
(For he was one of her many relatives.)
Yet the young Coyote Hawk
began to walk past her,
without saying a word,
without even a nod.
Gramma Bear grumbled…
slightly sternly, wisely, and
calmly saying, “Have you no respect?
(Her grumble echoed throughout the land.)
I am an elder, and
I sit on the High Council of Visionaries,
Healers, and Dreamers.
Can you not even nod,
or acknowledge me with a 'hau-dy doo'?”
The young Coyote Hawk snarled,
“I bow to no one,
not even you,
for I am a great visionary, dreamer, and
a Brujo.”
(The Earth fell silent.)
Gramma Bear thought to herself,
pausing and calming her heart.
(Nature's songs then returned.)
A moment lapsed, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning to the moment,
observing her presence, and
Coyote Hawk’s arrogance.
She smiled a knowing and
compassionate smile, then said,
“Please, I would love to see your powers
of knowings and manifestations.”
Coyote Hawk grumbled again,
“I don’t have the time or the inclination.
I do not play majick tricks for anyone’s approval
or opinions.”
Gramma Bear stopped time with a glance, and
a prayer, which is what she is.
(She is a walking prayer.)
She called in her council,
“All my relations,
what path will I guide this young
foolish dreamer?”
Moments went by, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning to the now.
Conceding that in the end,
arrogance, greed, and temptation
are the greatest teachers
to prospective Brujos,
Gramma Bear then offered a trade.
“I will grant you a wish
if you can move that mountain.”
(The mountain is known as
“The Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.”)
But there are four rules:
1. You cannot wish to kill anyone.
2. You cannot wish to bring someone back from the dead.
3. You cannot wish to change the past.
4. You cannot wish to make anyone fall in love with you.
“Very well,” sneered Coyote Hawk;
“you shall have your wish as well.”
He began to sing his invocation, and
danced and shook his sparking rattle.
(A rattle passed on to him by his relatives
throughout the centuries.)
He sang and projected,
“grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….,
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….,
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….”
Looking forward at the Speaking Mountain
of Truth and Thunder,
Gramma Bear saw no change.
The mountain's songs were silent.
It had not moved.
Only quiet morphing wispy clouds
were seen passing by,
as was the usual that day.
She scratched her back, and
clawed on a Great Old Cedar Tree.
Then yawning and sitting,
leaning back on the Cedar Tree
in the shade, saying “All my relations.”
(The Cedar Tree is one of her relatives.)
“My dear young Coyote Hawk,
the Speaking Mountain of Truth
and Thunder has not moved.
Would you like some huckleberries
to give you strength?”
Then saying, “All my relations.”
(The Huckleberries are one of her relatives.)
“NO!” scorned Coyote Hawk.
“I am a great visionary, dreamer, and
a Brujo;
I need no help from you
or your medicine berries.”
Gramma's voice sometimes sounded
like distant rolling thunder
when she was guiding her relatives.
Gramma Bear's voice altered, saying,
“That is fine, but still
you are welcome to some
should you change your mind.
All my relations, please continue.”
(Remember, Coyotes are one of Gramma Bear's relatives.)
Again, he began to sing his invocation
with a little bit stronger tone, and
danced and shook his sparking rattle,
and he sang and projected,
“grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….,
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….,
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….,
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….”
Now he was beginning to tire, and
the majick had appeared to fail
yet again.
This time he sat down
where he stood
out in the warm soothing sunshine.
The heat made the smellings
of the Huckleberries travel
to his very talented snout.
Coyote Hawk sat
and panted in exhaustion.
Gramma Bear looked on
at him in silence, observing, and
listening to her inner guidance
from the High Council
of Visionaries, Healers, and Dreamers.
Moments went by, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning to the now.
Coyote Hawk reached
into his medicine travel bag,
grabbing some Smoked Chinook Salmon
he traded for a previous illusion
he manifested to a Chinook Fisherman.
Gramma Bear said, “Mmmmmm,
all my relations,
(Chinook Salmon is also one of her relatives.)
that smells wonderful.
Would you like to trade for some of my berries?
They will give you extra strength to move
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.”
“NO,” scorned Coyote Hawk;
“I am a great visionary, dreamer, and
a Brujo!
I need no help from you
or your medicine berries.”
Coyote Hawk walked over
to the Trickling Brook of Water Medicine,
whispering…
“Water Medicine, have pity on me…
please help me.
All my relations.”
(For water is one of Coyote Hawk's relatives.)
Coyote Hawk had whispered
to the Trickling Brook of Water Medicine
so Gramma Bear could not hear him.
Coyote Hawk meandered back
over to where he could see
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
Gramma Bear, who was leaning
under the shade of the
Great Old Cedar Tree,
looked as though she was napping.
Being one of many great listeners,
dreamers, and visionaries,
she could hear everything
she was paying attention to.
She heard Coyote Hawk’s prayer.
Again, he began to sing and project
his incantations,
“grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot…
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot…
grib-zickle-zorker-duster-zot….”
Once again, his charms and projections
failed Coyote Hawk.
He then bowed in humiliation.
The Water Medicine Nation,
The Salmon Nation,
The Huckleberry Nation,
The Cedar Nation,
The Ancestors of his Coyote Hawk Nation,
The Sun and Star Nations,
The Brujo, Magician, and Clown Nations,
The Bear Nations,
The High Council
of Visionaries and Dreamers, and
all of their relations
who observed Coyote Hawk
and Gramma Bear
that warm day at the footsteps of
The Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder
went silent…
As he bowed in humiliation,
Coyote Hawk said,
“I am not the great Brujo,
Dreamer, or Visionary I claimed to be.
Please have pity on me, Gramma Bear.”
Gramma Bear stood,
gave herself another good scratch
on the Cedar Tree,
put the rest of her huckleberries
back into her Nez Perce Cornhusk Pouch, saying,
“All my relations, we are all connected.”
(The Corn Nation and the Nez Perce Nation
are also of her many relatives.)
Then pausing for a long while,
looking deeply at Coyote Hawk,
moments went by, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning back to the now
before Gramma Bear began to speak.
“You are young and stubborn.
Both are qualities you will need
to learn to understand why we met
on this fine day.”
“In the long run, your confidence is a gift
from the Great Mystery.
It will serve you well; however,
you forgot where your power
really comes from.”
“You come from a long line
of a clan of great Visionaries, Dreamers, and
Brujos.
Pride in them
does not give you power.”
“Maybe in time, you will be able
to teach us all how to move
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and
Thunder.”
Coyote Hawk bowed again,
saying, “Thank you,
Gramma Bear. Thank you
for your guidance and
quiet gentle example.
How should I learn?”
Gramma Bear grinned.
Moments went by, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning back to the now
before Gramma Bear began to speak.
Gramma Bear said, “Pray the way
you did with the Trickling Brook. Ask for help.”
Coyote Hawk said,
“I will ask to go and live with, and learn from
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
The Speaking Mountain of Truth and
Thunder has always been one of our relatives.”
Gramma Bear nodded, and
wished the young Coyote Hawk well, saying,
“Health, help, and happiness, young Coyote Hawk.
And here are some huckleberries for your journey.”
(As you know, Coyote Hawk is one of all of Gramma Bear's relatives.)
He nodded, saying, “Thank you,”
as Gramma Bear turned
and headed back toward the North.
That day, that night,
Coyote Hawk could not move
beyond the Trickling Brook of Water Medicine.
He drank from the Trickling Brook as he prayed,
“Great Spirit, Great Mystery,
I am such a fool,
I was such a clown,
I was so rude to Grandmother Bear
who sits on the High Council
of Visionaries, Healers, and Dreamers.
I am not a great visionary, dreamer, or Brujo.
I need to rest.
I am exhausted.
Please help me…,
please have pity on me…”
Coyote Hawk then fell asleep
to the voice of the Trickling Rustling Brook.
“We are all connected, we are all related.
Coyote Hawk is one of my relatives.”
As Coyote Hawk fell deeper and deeper
into the place where he thought
his power came from,
he began to journey with his ancestors.
He began to remember all the stories
they gave to him,
all the dreams and visions
they gave to him
‘in his world of dreams’
and all the others.
He began to remember who he was
despite his humiliating experience
in that other world
where he met Gramma Bear on the path
in opposite directions, just west
of the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
His ancestors said to him,
“We are all connected. We are all related.
Gramma Bear is one of our relatives
who is an elder, and on our High Council
of Visionaries, Healers, and Dreamers,
and Brujos, and Curanderas.”
Coyote Hawk then met an Old Coyote Hawk
in his dreams.
He was grey with a long beard, and
long hair like a lion's mane.
His nose was crooked
like a hawk's beak, and
he had wings and golden eyes.
The Old Coyote Hawk said,
“I am here to guide you,
young Coyote Hawk.
Gramma Bear sent me to be with you.
You must go with me
to the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.”
This startled young Coyote Hawk
so much so
that he woke from his dreams.
As he woke, he could still hear
the Old Coyote Hawk’s voice
in the Spirit of his heart,
and then a hawk screeched in the Eastern Sky
toward the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
Young Coyote Hawk was quickened and said,
“Hau-dy Hawk. We are all related.”
(The hawk is obviously one of his relatives.)
He then drank from the Trickling Brook of Water Medicine
as he prayed his morning prayers.
“Great Spirit, Great Mystery,
thank you for this Trickling Brook of Water Medicine,
and the hawk’s greeting, and
the dream of the Old Coyote Hawk, and
my ancestors.
Thank you for yesterday’s journey, and
for Gramma Bear’s grace and kindness.
Please help me…,
please have pity on me…
I am off to the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.”
(Thinking..., The Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder
is one of my relatives.)
He gathered himself,
ate some dried salmon and huckleberries, saying,
“We are all related. We are all connected.”
(Salmon and huckleberries are his relatives.)
Then Coyote Hawk headed east towards
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
As Coyote Hawk traveled,
he received a message
from Spirit within.
“Say 'We are all related. We are all connected'
to everything you see on your way to
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.”
So he thanked his Helpers and began,
“We are all related, my Helpers
We are all connected, Speaking Mountain of Truth
We are all related, brooks, valleys, and trees
We are all connected, sky, birds, flowers, and bees
We are all related, clouds, thunders, and
sun, moon, stars, and the images there I see
We are all connected, winds, words, and sounds
We are all related, time, space, dimensions, and
everything there is to be found
We are all connected, stone people
We are all related, Speaking Mountain of Truth.”
(They are all Coyote Hawk's relatives)
Coyote Hawk traveled east for days
until he walked on
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
He offered tobacco and said,
“Hau-dy, Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.”
Then he continued…
to the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder,
“I have come to learn from you
after humiliating myself with Gramma Bear.
I told her I could move you, and
I could not.
My ancestors and my spirit guide
came to me, telling me
to come and be with you.”
As he spoke, a moment lapsed, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning into the moment
that Coyote Hawk spoke.
White, yellow, red, black, and
purple clouds
were quickly forming to the south
in the clear blue sky, and
just below the forest Green Mother Earth
of the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
The ominous clouds formed
separate from the rest
of the turquoise sky, and
slowly approached Coyote Hawk
from south to north
where he stood, knowing
for the first time
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder
was about to speak.
Lightning and Thunder Beings
were dancing on Our Mother Earth.
Then there was a piercing crack
as if to say
in a rolling, thundering, single word,
“STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.”
Coyote Hawk felt the lightning strikes
rise back up from Mother Earth,
traveling to his paws
then to his fur.
Then he felt something strange
under his chin
and behind on his tail…
a beard and tiny feathers
had begun to form
similar to the Old Coyote Hawk.
Each moment lapsed, and
centuries reversed and sped forward,
returning into all his nows
observing his presence
as his feathers and beard grew
for almost forty years.
Coyote Hawk had greeted and
studied under the Old Coyote Hawk, and
with all living things on
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder
for all those many years.
His final task,
given to him by Gramma Bear's messenger,
the Old Coyote Hawk,
was to write a poem
about his experience,
so he wrote this poem.
We are all connected
We are all related
i am the mountain
i am the sea
i am the valley
i am the tree
i am the sky
i am the bird
i am the flower
i am the bee
i am the cloud
i am the thunder
i am the sun
i am the moon
i am the stars
i am the visions I've found
i am the wind
i am the word
i am the poem
i am the song I breathe
i am tone and sound
i am what I heard
i am time
i am free
i am space
i am all dimensions
i am everything there is around
i am everything I care to be
i am grateful
i am this small stone
the mountain gifted to me
I carry like a tiny bird
i am the story
i am this poem
the mountain gave to me for free
i am the mountain
We are all connected
We are all related
The night that Coyote Hawk finished the poem,
the Old Coyote Hawk came to him
in a waking dream. He said,
“We are all connected
We are all related, young Coyote Hawk.
You have done well.
All of the peoples of all our relations
here on the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder—
the Standing Nations,
the Wing-ed Nations,
the Creepy Crawler Nations,
the Two Leg-ged Nations,
the Four Leg-ged Nations,
the Swimmer Nations,
the Ancient Reptile Nations,
the Water, Earth, Wind, Fire, and Ether Nations,
and all of the Star and Planet Nations
of the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder—
will miss us.
We love you very much.”
Coyote Hawk sat up, and
began to cry,
tears of sadness, joy, and love.
Flowers and creatures grew
where they fell.
Coyote Hawk said,
“Thank you, Old Coyote Hawk,
We are all related. We are all connected."
And his voice sounded like
gentle rolling thunder
for the first time in his life.
His fur and beard had turned long, and
white and gray;
his wings were long and strong;
his eyes were green like
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder;
his nose was bent down
like the beak of a hawk;
his chest was large
to make room for his heart.
He said, ‘Thank you’ in all the languages he learned on the
Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
‘Thank you, One Heart, One Love, One Circle.’
Before Coyote Hawk traveled back down
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder,
he offered tobacco to the stone nation, and
asked, “May I carry two small Stone People
in memory of my life
on the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder?”
When he looked down,
there were two small Heart Stones.
Coyote Hawk picked them up and said,
as his voice sounded like
gentle rolling thunder
for the second time in his life,
“Thank you, Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
Thank you, Great Mystery.
Thank you, Creator.
Thank you, Sacred Stone People.
We are all connected.”
As he traveled
back onto the road
to where he first met Gramma Bear,
the Old Coyote Hawk
told him to wait by the Trickling Brook
he had drunk from
all those many years before.
Young Coyote Hawk nodded, he sat,
as he drank some cool, clear water
and whispered to the Trickling Brook
and all his relatives, “Water is life.
We are all connected, we are all related,
all my relations.”
Coyote Hawk already knew
what was to happen next.
Gramma Bear gave him signs
and instructions
before he returned.
She was coming to meet him
by the old Cedar Tree, and
the Trickling Brook.
When Gramma Bear arrived,
she was greeted cheerfully by Coyote Hawk,
“Hau-dy, Gramma Bear,
All my relations,
we hope we find you well.
As a thank you for your guidance,
I have a small gift for you.”
Coyote Hawk held out his paw,
inviting Gramma Bear to hold out hers, saying,
“Because of you, and
the teachings of all of our relations, and
my time with the Old Coyote Hawk
on the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder,
I have learned how to move it to you.”
Coyote Hawk gently placed
one of the Heart Stones
in Gramma Bear's paw, and
softly held the Heart Stone
in her paw with his paws
like a sandwich, saying,
“Everything changed for me
that day we met
all those many years ago.”
“All I needed to do
was to say, ‘We are all connected,
we are all related,’
to move the mountain to you.”
And so he said,
“We are all related, we are all connected.
Thank you, Grandmother Bear.”
At that moment, all the hearts and spirits
of the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder
were passed on to Grandmother Bear's
heart and spirit.
Grandmother Bear nodded quietly
in acknowledgment, smiling deeply
while gazing at the Heart Stone
as a tear fell to the ground.
Flowers grew below her feet
and then all the way down the Valley
of the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder.
As the flowers grew,
there was gentle rolling thunder
deep down in the valley.
It sounded like, 'Thank you.'
Coyote Hawk was now not as young.
He became a storyteller for all his relations.
I wonder what he did with the second Heart Stone
the Speaking Mountain of Truth and Thunder
gave to him on his way home?
~ hsh © 041614
(edit 011125)
Song For The Sacred Elements - Chenoa Egawa & Alex Turtle
Coyote Dance · Robbie Robertson · The Red Road Ensemble
Peyote Healing · Robbie Robertson · Verdell Primeaux · Johnny Mike
Contact From The Underworld Of Redboy
A Song for Hawk
He walks with the wind and the thunder
He speaks with the earth and the sky
He listens to the voices of his ancestors
He honors the wisdom of his tribe
He dances with the eagle and the buffalo
He sings with the river and the fire
He dreams of the visions of his future
He creates with the spirit of his desire
He shares with the people and the nations
He teaches with the stories and the art
He learns from the challenges and the blessings
He loves with the courage of his heart
For the record, I did not ask Bing to write this. 😂 I asked it for help trying to understand a…