Barry Blackhawk

 

The Blackhawk pages 
are dedicated to the memory of 

"Grandma Minnie"

Minnie Gray Wolf Little Bear

 

 
 

 

 

Grandmother
Barry Blackhawk
©1999 Barry Blackhawk


                              Strong, steady, soothing,
                              Gray and brownish with tinkly black undim eyes, 
                                   Years have come and taken away lies and truths, 
                                   Gentle demeanor tells me they have
                              come and gone     A few teeth left   but pleasing, 
                              A good feeling of gray, solid upon a steady head filled
                                   with a myriad of yesterday thoughts.
                                        A fond desire to unlock secrets, images, thoughts, 
                              knowledge, discipline, compassion and grandma talk . . . 
                                   chiding, encouraging, observing, clucking cute 
                                         child care and full of wisdom seeming more so in
                                             the Mother tongue.
                                                  Food first with at home comfort---steaming
                                        coffee, jams, fry bread, corn soup, sweets and 
                                             smelly good stuff cooking.
                                        Grandma never was a girl---Woman personified. 
                                             She has been that way since I first got sense.
 
October 26, 1972


 

 

 

 

Barry Blackhawk is a Ho-chank [Winnebago] Aboriginal American, who grew up on his tribal Reserve and in the state of Minnesota. 

A graduate of Mankato State College in Minnesota, Blackhawk has traveled all over the country, holding many positions of distinction, including a year of teaching with the Gifted Indian Children's program in Minneapolis and assistant editor of the Winnebago Indian News. 

Blackhawk taught his native language at the Nebraska Indian Community College and founded the Memorial Neola Walker Language Committee to save the Ho-chank language and cultural arts from extinction.

 

 
 
To view Barry Blackhawk's poetry, 
click on the name of the poem.

HIDE TO HIDE

COLORS OF WATER SONG

DOWNPRESSION

END OF FIELD

HEAT HAZE

ODE TO NEW MORNING

SWING EXPECTANCY

THE PICTURE

TO "G"

Annual PowWow
Winnebago, NE


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