Monday Poem by Joan Logghe

Sacred Response
 
Keep a glass of water near your bed.
Who taught me that? To draw the anger out
then spill the water into the earth.
Put tobacco on the earth after you smoke,
he told you, and throw the filter away.
I saw the women of Tesuque Pueblo
sprinkle corn meal at the corner of the plaza
before the dance and after the dance.
I saw the drummers at Taos Pow Wow 
touch their hands to their throat
before drumming. I saw the members
of my Temple touch the Torah
with their prayer shawls, and kiss
the shawl.  I saw my mother kiss my children.
I saw these things and now I get to live
and act in all these ways as if one way
another bright and glistening day.