Poem: "Don't Let the Grass Grow"
This poem is spillover from the April 17 bonus fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
janetmiles, fuzzyred, and Anonymous. It also fills the "Rough and Ready" square in my 2-1-21 "Romance" card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It is the second in a triptych between "The Little Shadow Across the Grass" and "On the Path of Friendship."
"Don't Let the Grass Grow"
[Spring, 2 A.E. / Come Together]
Two years had passed since
the End, and as the third one
began, Nadie Bird Feathers
was really starting to worry.
The Blackfeet Reservation
had been spared direct damage,
but they were largely left on
their own, unable to buy
supplies or sell surplus.
Travel was possible but
hazardous, all the more so
if it went near the ruined cities,
so few dared to risk it now.
They had lost some people
as medicines ran out, mostly
those with chronic illnesses,
but it could have been worse.
More than a few individuals
with "incurable" illnesses had
been cured simply by eating
a healthier diet and doing
a lot more labor than Before.
Because they had to rely on
themselves for all their food,
and they didn't always have
supplies to run the machinery,
farming and foraging took up
far more time and effort now.
Nobody was making junk food in
the Aftermath, so once the remains
ran out, it was back to the whole foods.
The Blackfeet bison herd had dropped
so many twins in 1 A.E. that people called
the year Two Calves, and it looked like
they were doing it again this spring.
The cows had far more heifer calves
than bull calves, but that was fine;
one bull could serve many cows.
Nobody would hunt the bison
until the beef cattle ran out, so
the herd had some time to grow.
There had been a few babies
born on the reservation during
the last two years, but not as
many as Before, and almost
all of the survivors were girls.
Nadie had learned from
the refugees that most places
had far more women than men
now, and something seemed to be
impacting the Blackfeet as well.
That would make it even harder
for people to find mates, and it was
hard enough already when so many
people on the reservation were related.
They had relied a lot on powwows
for meeting new people Before, but
now that was a thing of the past.
Maybe, though, it was time
to reach out and revive that.
Nadie looked to the north.
Maybe it was time to reclaim
more than merely that, too.
"You look thoughtful,"
remarked Machk Brain Man,
who taught Blackfeet language
and culture at the tribal college.
"What's weighing on your mind?"
"We need allies," said Nadie.
"We need people to trade with,
especially food crops and livestock.
We need more opportunities to find
partners for our young people
and to support each other in
the face of fresh disasters."
"You're not wrong," he said.
"Which are you thinking,
Flathead or Rocky Boy's?
Flathead is bigger and closer,
but it's over the mountains.
Rocky Boy's is easier to reach,
but wouldn't gain us as much."
"Neither," said Nadie. "I want
to reach out to our people in
the north. I want to reunite
the Blackfeet Confederacy."
Machk blinked. "They're
in Canada," he pointed out.
"So? Is there even still
a Canada, or an America?"
said Nadie. "The old borders
don't mean much anymore.
It's all Turtle Island now. It's
time to wipe away the lines
that divide our people."
"You want someone
to travel north and make
connections?" Machk said.
"More like a party," said Nadie.
"We need enough people
to keep each other safe
and forage as needed.
What do you think?"
"I'm in," said Machk.
"Don’t let the grass grow
on the path of friendship."
Plenty of folks here had
friends or relations north
of the old border, and it
would be easier to make
connections with relations
than with different tribes.
Nadie looked around,
assessing the people and
gathering them with her eyes.
Jane Lecompte Fine Gun Woman
stepped forward. "Send me,"
she said. "I'll keep him safe."
"All right," said Nadie. "I
know you're good at that."
"I'll go," said Jenna Never Forget.
"I can wrangle the horses."
"You can't leave us here!"
her sisters wailed, throwing
their arms around her.
Their mother had been
murdered about a year
before the End. Jenna had
stepped up to take care of
her younger sisters, but
they were still insecure.
"Come stay on the farm with us,"
Nadie invited. It was big enough
that all her children had moved into
their own cabins, and there was still
a spare bedroom in her house aside from
the one she'd turned into a macaw aviary.
"You may work in the gardens, or with
the animals, whichever you prefer."
"I'm scared of horses," Milla said.
"You don't have to handle the horses,"
Nadie promised her. "I'm sure that
Kimi would love help with the hens."
"Okay, I like gathering eggs,"
Milla said, reluctantly letting go of
Jenna and pulling Nina over to Nadie.
Wilma Red Hands looked at
her best friend Cheryl Belgarde,
who gave her a silent nod.
"I'll come with you," said Wilma.
"I cook, and I'm learning to forage."
Jasper That Was Fast shuffled
from one foot to the other. "I don't
want to leave my dad," he blurted.
"I still have so much to learn!"
"That's okay," said Wilma. "You
can help Cheryl keep an eye
on my father for me, okay?"
Bill Hilton was disabled and
used a walking stick or two
for balance if going more
than a short distance.
"Yeah, I can do that,"
Jasper said, nodding.
"All right, I think that's
enough," said Nadie. "Let's
see about outfitting you."
They spent a week gathering
tools and supplies the trip, talking
about what kind of agreements could be
made and whether they might entice
a northern elder to come south
to meet with Nadie in person.
Then Clarence Talking Cross
and Inez Rivera approached.
"I want to meet some new people,"
Clarence said. "I understand
how to smooth ruffled feathers."
"I'm good at fishing and finding
clean water," said Inez. "I want
to see how the world is doing
with fewer people in it now."
"Probably better than it was
with more people, despite
all the violence," said Nadie.
In the end, they wound up with
one older person to lead the party,
plus four young women and
one young man for security
and foraging in case they
ran out of packed supplies.
It was a long trip north on
horseback instead of in cars,
but Nadia had faith in her people,
who were rough and ready folks.
They would bring back good news.
* * *
Notes:
Machk Brain Man -- He has light copper skin, brown eyes, and long straight black hair. His hairline is receding on top. He is 38 years old at the End and 40 when the Blackfeet Nation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. Machk teaches Blackfeet language and culture at the tribal college. He leads the expedition north to reunite the Blackfeet people.
Jenna Never Forget -- She has light copper skin, dark brown eyes, and long straight hair of dark brown. She is left-handed. She is 16 years old at the End and 18 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. She is the older sister of Milla (then 14, now 16) and Nina (then 12, now 14). Their mother was murdered about a year before the End, leaving Jenna to care for her two younger sisters, who have become quite clingy as a result. Jenna is a horsetamer who also rides in rodeos for prize money to support her family. She would like to find a spouse or housemate to share resources. She goes on the expedition.
Nina Never Forget -- She has light copper skin, dark brown eyes, and straight auburn hair just past her shoulders. She was 12 years old at the End and is 14 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. She is the younger sister of Jenna (then 16, now 18) and Milla (then 14, now 16). Their mother was murdered about a year before the End, leaving Jenna to care for her two younger sisters. Nina is quiet and studious, reading about the natural world, especially plants.
Milla Never Forget -- She has light copper skin, dark brown eyes, and long straight hair of dark brown. She was 14 years old at the End and is 16 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. She is the younger sister of Jenna (then 16, now 18) and older sister of Nina (then 12, now 14). Their mother was murdered about a year before the End, leaving Jenna to care for her two younger sisters. Milla is athletic and outgoing. She enjoys learning about the natural world, especially animals, but horses kind of scare her.
The red handprint symbolizes missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Cheryl Belgarde -- She has copper skin, brown eyes, and long straight brown hair. She is tough and wiry. She is 15 years old at the End and 17 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. Cheryl is learning traditional Blackfeet pottery along with cooking and food preservation. Her best friend is a white refugee, Wilma Hilton Red Hands (then 15, now 17).
Clarence Talking Cross -- He has tinted skin and brown eyes. His short brown hair is mostly straight but sticks up in cowlicks. His heritage is Blackfeet and American. He is Christian. He had started studying toward counseling. He was 16 at the End and 18 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. He goes on the expedition north.
Inez Rivera -- She has light copper skin, brown eyes, and long curly hair of dark brown. Her heritage is Blackfeet and Hispanic. She was 14 years old at the End and 16 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. Inez is a naturalist with a particular interest in waterways and their wildlife. She excels at fishing. She goes on the expedition north, and while visiting the Kainai Reservation, she falls in love and decides to stay there.
* * *
In the spring of 1 A.E. the bison herd produced an unusual number of twins, so the year is called Two Calves. 0 A.E. is Roll Up, from the Ghost Dance. 2 A.E. is Come Together. A "winter count" is a pictorial calendar of notable events, one or two per years, with each year being named based on those events. Here is a lesson about Blackfeet winter counts.
Blackfeet Livestock
The major livestock raised on the Blackfeet Reservation are cattle and hogs. Other types of livestock raised include bison, chickens, goats, horses, and sheep.
Livestock * Type # of Farms * Livestock Inventory * Livestock Sold
Cattle and Calves 315 * 66,432 * 36,096
Hogs and Pigs 10 * 26,288 * 54,003
Sheep and Lambs 17 * 5,906 * 3,894
Horses and Ponies 308 * 5,437 * 787
Goats 11 * 31 * 31
Bison 9 * 2,289 * 136
Chickens (Layers) 16 * 117,365 (none)
Chickens (Broilers and other meat type) 3 * (none) * 3,200
Read about the history of the Blackfeet Nation's bison herd.
Calving season typically coincides with the first flush of new spring grass; compare Nebraska and Montana timing. Both bison and cows can drop twins, and are more likely to do so in lush pasture. However, bison can delay calving to avoid bad weather, resulting in higher success; and they can be responsive to human needs as expressed through traditional ceremonies and prayers. These factors combined to produce a baby boom in the Blackfeet Reservation herd after the End. Nearly half the cows had twins in 1 A.E. so that year got named Two Calves, and just over half had twins in 2 A.E. They're dropping more heifer calves than bull calves, but that's fine.
The Blackfeet bison started with a herd around 2,300 at the End, about half cows and half bulls. Around 1,150 cows calved in 1 A.E. and 460 of those (40%) had twins, adding 920 calves. 690 had single calves. That's a total of 1,610 calves, 1079 of them (67%) heifers and 531 of them (33%) bulls, bringing the herd to 3,910. In 2 A.E. they had 1,150 cows and 1,079 heifers breeding, 1337 of which (60%) had twins, adding 2,674 calves. 892 (40%) had singles. That's a total of 3,566 calves, 2,675 of them (75%) heifers and 891 of them bulls. It brings the herd to around 7,476 total, although they are actually divided into several smaller herds for grazing.
The United States of America confined indigenous peoples to reservations, Canada confined theirs to reserves, and there are some legal variations between the two systems. Several tribes including the Blackfeet were sundered by international borders that the invaders created to cut through tribal nations.
Read about the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, and the Kainai Nation / Blood Tribe on Blood 148, the Piikani Nation on Piikani 147, and the Siksika Nation on Siksika 146 in Canada.
janetmiles, fuzzyred, and Anonymous. It also fills the "Rough and Ready" square in my 2-1-21 "Romance" card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It is the second in a triptych between "The Little Shadow Across the Grass" and "On the Path of Friendship.""Don't Let the Grass Grow"
[Spring, 2 A.E. / Come Together]
Two years had passed since
the End, and as the third one
began, Nadie Bird Feathers
was really starting to worry.
The Blackfeet Reservation
had been spared direct damage,
but they were largely left on
their own, unable to buy
supplies or sell surplus.
Travel was possible but
hazardous, all the more so
if it went near the ruined cities,
so few dared to risk it now.
They had lost some people
as medicines ran out, mostly
those with chronic illnesses,
but it could have been worse.
More than a few individuals
with "incurable" illnesses had
been cured simply by eating
a healthier diet and doing
a lot more labor than Before.
Because they had to rely on
themselves for all their food,
and they didn't always have
supplies to run the machinery,
farming and foraging took up
far more time and effort now.
Nobody was making junk food in
the Aftermath, so once the remains
ran out, it was back to the whole foods.
The Blackfeet bison herd had dropped
so many twins in 1 A.E. that people called
the year Two Calves, and it looked like
they were doing it again this spring.
The cows had far more heifer calves
than bull calves, but that was fine;
one bull could serve many cows.
Nobody would hunt the bison
until the beef cattle ran out, so
the herd had some time to grow.
There had been a few babies
born on the reservation during
the last two years, but not as
many as Before, and almost
all of the survivors were girls.
Nadie had learned from
the refugees that most places
had far more women than men
now, and something seemed to be
impacting the Blackfeet as well.
That would make it even harder
for people to find mates, and it was
hard enough already when so many
people on the reservation were related.
They had relied a lot on powwows
for meeting new people Before, but
now that was a thing of the past.
Maybe, though, it was time
to reach out and revive that.
Nadie looked to the north.
Maybe it was time to reclaim
more than merely that, too.
"You look thoughtful,"
remarked Machk Brain Man,
who taught Blackfeet language
and culture at the tribal college.
"What's weighing on your mind?"
"We need allies," said Nadie.
"We need people to trade with,
especially food crops and livestock.
We need more opportunities to find
partners for our young people
and to support each other in
the face of fresh disasters."
"You're not wrong," he said.
"Which are you thinking,
Flathead or Rocky Boy's?
Flathead is bigger and closer,
but it's over the mountains.
Rocky Boy's is easier to reach,
but wouldn't gain us as much."
"Neither," said Nadie. "I want
to reach out to our people in
the north. I want to reunite
the Blackfeet Confederacy."
Machk blinked. "They're
in Canada," he pointed out.
"So? Is there even still
a Canada, or an America?"
said Nadie. "The old borders
don't mean much anymore.
It's all Turtle Island now. It's
time to wipe away the lines
that divide our people."
"You want someone
to travel north and make
connections?" Machk said.
"More like a party," said Nadie.
"We need enough people
to keep each other safe
and forage as needed.
What do you think?"
"I'm in," said Machk.
"Don’t let the grass grow
on the path of friendship."
Plenty of folks here had
friends or relations north
of the old border, and it
would be easier to make
connections with relations
than with different tribes.
Nadie looked around,
assessing the people and
gathering them with her eyes.
Jane Lecompte Fine Gun Woman
stepped forward. "Send me,"
she said. "I'll keep him safe."
"All right," said Nadie. "I
know you're good at that."
"I'll go," said Jenna Never Forget.
"I can wrangle the horses."
"You can't leave us here!"
her sisters wailed, throwing
their arms around her.
Their mother had been
murdered about a year
before the End. Jenna had
stepped up to take care of
her younger sisters, but
they were still insecure.
"Come stay on the farm with us,"
Nadie invited. It was big enough
that all her children had moved into
their own cabins, and there was still
a spare bedroom in her house aside from
the one she'd turned into a macaw aviary.
"You may work in the gardens, or with
the animals, whichever you prefer."
"I'm scared of horses," Milla said.
"You don't have to handle the horses,"
Nadie promised her. "I'm sure that
Kimi would love help with the hens."
"Okay, I like gathering eggs,"
Milla said, reluctantly letting go of
Jenna and pulling Nina over to Nadie.
Wilma Red Hands looked at
her best friend Cheryl Belgarde,
who gave her a silent nod.
"I'll come with you," said Wilma.
"I cook, and I'm learning to forage."
Jasper That Was Fast shuffled
from one foot to the other. "I don't
want to leave my dad," he blurted.
"I still have so much to learn!"
"That's okay," said Wilma. "You
can help Cheryl keep an eye
on my father for me, okay?"
Bill Hilton was disabled and
used a walking stick or two
for balance if going more
than a short distance.
"Yeah, I can do that,"
Jasper said, nodding.
"All right, I think that's
enough," said Nadie. "Let's
see about outfitting you."
They spent a week gathering
tools and supplies the trip, talking
about what kind of agreements could be
made and whether they might entice
a northern elder to come south
to meet with Nadie in person.
Then Clarence Talking Cross
and Inez Rivera approached.
"I want to meet some new people,"
Clarence said. "I understand
how to smooth ruffled feathers."
"I'm good at fishing and finding
clean water," said Inez. "I want
to see how the world is doing
with fewer people in it now."
"Probably better than it was
with more people, despite
all the violence," said Nadie.
In the end, they wound up with
one older person to lead the party,
plus four young women and
one young man for security
and foraging in case they
ran out of packed supplies.
It was a long trip north on
horseback instead of in cars,
but Nadia had faith in her people,
who were rough and ready folks.
They would bring back good news.
* * *
Notes:
Machk Brain Man -- He has light copper skin, brown eyes, and long straight black hair. His hairline is receding on top. He is 38 years old at the End and 40 when the Blackfeet Nation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. Machk teaches Blackfeet language and culture at the tribal college. He leads the expedition north to reunite the Blackfeet people.
Jenna Never Forget -- She has light copper skin, dark brown eyes, and long straight hair of dark brown. She is left-handed. She is 16 years old at the End and 18 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. She is the older sister of Milla (then 14, now 16) and Nina (then 12, now 14). Their mother was murdered about a year before the End, leaving Jenna to care for her two younger sisters, who have become quite clingy as a result. Jenna is a horsetamer who also rides in rodeos for prize money to support her family. She would like to find a spouse or housemate to share resources. She goes on the expedition.
Nina Never Forget -- She has light copper skin, dark brown eyes, and straight auburn hair just past her shoulders. She was 12 years old at the End and is 14 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. She is the younger sister of Jenna (then 16, now 18) and Milla (then 14, now 16). Their mother was murdered about a year before the End, leaving Jenna to care for her two younger sisters. Nina is quiet and studious, reading about the natural world, especially plants.
Milla Never Forget -- She has light copper skin, dark brown eyes, and long straight hair of dark brown. She was 14 years old at the End and is 16 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. She is the younger sister of Jenna (then 16, now 18) and older sister of Nina (then 12, now 14). Their mother was murdered about a year before the End, leaving Jenna to care for her two younger sisters. Milla is athletic and outgoing. She enjoys learning about the natural world, especially animals, but horses kind of scare her.
The red handprint symbolizes missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Cheryl Belgarde -- She has copper skin, brown eyes, and long straight brown hair. She is tough and wiry. She is 15 years old at the End and 17 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. Cheryl is learning traditional Blackfeet pottery along with cooking and food preservation. Her best friend is a white refugee, Wilma Hilton Red Hands (then 15, now 17).
Clarence Talking Cross -- He has tinted skin and brown eyes. His short brown hair is mostly straight but sticks up in cowlicks. His heritage is Blackfeet and American. He is Christian. He had started studying toward counseling. He was 16 at the End and 18 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. He goes on the expedition north.
Inez Rivera -- She has light copper skin, brown eyes, and long curly hair of dark brown. Her heritage is Blackfeet and Hispanic. She was 14 years old at the End and 16 when the Blackfeet Reservation reaches out to its relatives in Canada. Inez is a naturalist with a particular interest in waterways and their wildlife. She excels at fishing. She goes on the expedition north, and while visiting the Kainai Reservation, she falls in love and decides to stay there.
* * *
In the spring of 1 A.E. the bison herd produced an unusual number of twins, so the year is called Two Calves. 0 A.E. is Roll Up, from the Ghost Dance. 2 A.E. is Come Together. A "winter count" is a pictorial calendar of notable events, one or two per years, with each year being named based on those events. Here is a lesson about Blackfeet winter counts.
Blackfeet Livestock
The major livestock raised on the Blackfeet Reservation are cattle and hogs. Other types of livestock raised include bison, chickens, goats, horses, and sheep.
Livestock * Type # of Farms * Livestock Inventory * Livestock Sold
Cattle and Calves 315 * 66,432 * 36,096
Hogs and Pigs 10 * 26,288 * 54,003
Sheep and Lambs 17 * 5,906 * 3,894
Horses and Ponies 308 * 5,437 * 787
Goats 11 * 31 * 31
Bison 9 * 2,289 * 136
Chickens (Layers) 16 * 117,365 (none)
Chickens (Broilers and other meat type) 3 * (none) * 3,200
Read about the history of the Blackfeet Nation's bison herd.
Calving season typically coincides with the first flush of new spring grass; compare Nebraska and Montana timing. Both bison and cows can drop twins, and are more likely to do so in lush pasture. However, bison can delay calving to avoid bad weather, resulting in higher success; and they can be responsive to human needs as expressed through traditional ceremonies and prayers. These factors combined to produce a baby boom in the Blackfeet Reservation herd after the End. Nearly half the cows had twins in 1 A.E. so that year got named Two Calves, and just over half had twins in 2 A.E. They're dropping more heifer calves than bull calves, but that's fine.
The Blackfeet bison started with a herd around 2,300 at the End, about half cows and half bulls. Around 1,150 cows calved in 1 A.E. and 460 of those (40%) had twins, adding 920 calves. 690 had single calves. That's a total of 1,610 calves, 1079 of them (67%) heifers and 531 of them (33%) bulls, bringing the herd to 3,910. In 2 A.E. they had 1,150 cows and 1,079 heifers breeding, 1337 of which (60%) had twins, adding 2,674 calves. 892 (40%) had singles. That's a total of 3,566 calves, 2,675 of them (75%) heifers and 891 of them bulls. It brings the herd to around 7,476 total, although they are actually divided into several smaller herds for grazing.
The United States of America confined indigenous peoples to reservations, Canada confined theirs to reserves, and there are some legal variations between the two systems. Several tribes including the Blackfeet were sundered by international borders that the invaders created to cut through tribal nations.
Read about the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, and the Kainai Nation / Blood Tribe on Blood 148, the Piikani Nation on Piikani 147, and the Siksika Nation on Siksika 146 in Canada.