Here O Painter take this painting back
and put a DIA shack in place of that tipi
make the land around res bare
(By the way, those clouds in the background
look like smoke billowing from a pulp mill….)

The woman in the corner
who is 18 and a mom of two..
its okay if you’ll put a wedding dress on her
and give her kids a father
(it looks so “mainstream,” isn’t it?)
but
don’t forget her black eye
and those
broken friendship bracelets on her wrist
that I have become so used to seeing.
And can you make my nephew a FAS child?

That smile on my niece’s lips is really cute
broaden it enough to
make your painting giggle!
Ah the darkness around her
the shadows creeping
and vociferously slurping her childhood..

Darkness
whispers
tip toes
treaties
caresses
smacks
The dreaded beast
I wish I can shoot the bastard
Darkness…..

The guy in torn blue jeans is my Dad
stuff in his pocket
a SA cheque and
five Loonies he received as Treaty payment…
Put a Stetson and a toothless grin on him
He is our proud Res Rodeo King…

My mom, tanning moosehide
Put a Green Peace button on her torn lapel!
Be sure to show rosary around her neck.
Fill some fear of god and fear of dad in her eyes…

And in the backyard of my mind
and the yard of my shack
park some rusted old cars
delicious dreams
That I’ve so painstakingly amassed
(the three in the far corner were bought by dad)
Like my father I too am hoping…
That one day
I’ll ease collective idleness of these rusted cars!
I’ll Put one of them together
Paint a number on its hood and sides
Cash my SA cheque at Montana’s eatery
and Enter a Demolition Derby.