BY RENA PRIEST
Here is my poem , which I chose to send because you ’ re called “ Art Chowder ” and Sxwelisen is where we dig clams and gather oysters . ( Sile means Grandmother ):
Joshua Thomas | Lejit Designs
Remembering Sile at Sxwelisen
“ We used to say , when the tide is out , the table is set .
The earth provided . And if one day it didn ’ t the spirit fed us .” The glittering turn of the tide the arc of the sun in the sky , the call of birds the sound of waves — to be nourished in this way makes glass doors opening and closing themselves between me and that food on grocery store shelves , seem false ; empty . That food , where does it come from ? Whose hands grew it ? Was there patience and care ? Were there prayers ? Think of how it got there — what it ’ s made of . “ When I was a girl , everything we ate came from the earth that loved us through hands of people we loved .”
Scan the QR Code to visit rena priest ’ s website
Because Spokane is downtown
explore downtown at downtownspokane . org
November | December 2021 57