Translation of an Elegy
A poem by Margaret Noodin
Inspired by this wintery wood image and a response to the fantastic poem, Elegy in Translation >> by Meg Day.
Nindanikanootaanan Gikaadendamowinan
Translation of an Elegy
Boonigidetawishin
Forgive me
boonigidetawishinaanig
forgive us all
gaawiin noondoosiinowaan
for not hearing
noondaagoosiiyan
not hearing
ezhi-niibawiyan zoogipong sa
the way you stand in the snow
giizis igo ge-niisibizhad miidash
as you draw down the sun
ge-nagwaadaman ji-mikwendaman
setting snares for memories
naaway’iing zesegaandagwadaban gaye wadikwaniwan
between spruce roots and branches
odoonan, oshkiinzhigoon, otawagan gaye niisiigininjaanan,
lips, eyes, ears and fingers
ingiw wewebinozhaawashkogwanag
blue feathers, green feathers waving
aagawaateshkaag ombiigweweg
casting shadows loud and clear
ge-noojimotooyan biboong gaye
your cure for winter and
odibaajimowinaniwaa mindimooyenyag
old wives’ tales
ge-noojimotooyan ezhi-nisidotaadizoyang
your cure for wounds of meaning
wewebaazhimoyang
a language of motion
mikomiyan, mikomiyang
reminding me, reminding us
mashkawaakwading
water is solid sometimes
mii miinawaa “debwetaagoziyang”
and “we are telling the truth”
nasab nitaagwad “dibendaagoziyang”
sounds like “we belong”
ombaabateg,
the way smoke rises up
ombaaniteg ombaashiyang.
a mirage we can ride.