Jiikimaadizi / A Joyful Life

Apii Manidoo-giizisoons basangwaabid
When the sky’s eye blinks in December

gaye gaawiin bazhiba’ansiimaan
and I can’t spear one of the

ge-bimaadagendamaan dwaa’ibaaning
thoughts swimming past the ice hole

mii mikwendamaan Ode’imini-giizis
I think of the strawberry-moon light

miskwiiwid miskwaawaasiged giizhigong.
bleeding across a long summer day.

Dagwaagin apii waaboozoog zaagi’agwaa
When I fall in love with autumn rabbits

idash gaawin dakonaasiiwagwaa
but can’t hold them close enough

napaajinaanzowayeyaang
and all our fur is the wrong color

waawaashkeshikwe mikwenimag
I think of deer woman

ziikipidang ziibiwan ji-gidagaakoonsiked.
drinking rivers to make spotted fawns.

Wenpanad gwayakowendamang,
It’s easy to change our minds

zhaabwaabiyang, bakobiiseyang
to look through a window, fall into a lake

zanagak gwenibiiyang,
it’s harder to quit,

akawaabiyang, bakegaabawiyang
to wait or step off the main path

ji-mikamang ezhi-jiikimaadiziyang.
to discover a joyful life.