Yankunytjatjara Love Poems

1. I walk to the south I walk to the north where are you my Warrior? I sit with the desert I sit with the ocean where are you my Warrior? I sing to the trees I sing to the rocks where are you my Warrior? I dance with the birds I dance with the animals where are you my Warrior? Heaven is everywhere where are You? 2. I will show you a field of zebra finch Dreaming in the shadow of the stony hill ochre when the soft blanket of language hums and kinship campfires flavour windswept hair little girls stack single twigs on embers under Grandfathers skin of painted love the dance of emu feathers will sweep the red earth with your smile do not look at me in daylight; that gift comes in the night tomorrow I will show Mother our marriage proposal in my smile 3. in the cave she rolls the big rock for table, for the desert wildflowers they pick each another she carries many coolamons filled with river sand to soften the hard rock floor she makes shelf from braided saplings to hold all the feathers given by the message birds when he sleeps she polishes his weapons with goanna and emu fat till they glisten in fire light he tells the story of the notches on his spear, the story of the maps on his woomera their eyes fill with spot fires lit on his return the other women laugh “get over yourself” they laugh “he’s not that good” she smiles she knows him in the night 4. there is love in the wind by the singing rock down the river by the ancient tree love in kangaroo goanna and emu love when spirits speak no human voice at the sacred sites eyes unblemished watch wedge tail eagle soar over hidden water find the love 5. Survival Day I hear you as you sit in silence your eyes search the Dreamtime crammed in a modern world Ah! there are the children of the Dreamtime hands on thighs dancing black legs beat drum and didgeridoo Ah! there are the Grandmothers of the Dreamtime quiet under shade trees alert for dangers ready to fight protect and die Ah! husbands and wives of the Dreamtime share soul celebrations beyond the cultures another baby of the Dreamtime will be born soon Ah! all the Grandfathers sit silent unmoving become rock face and sacred tree the gibar magic man one with the earth Ah! I see you on the horizon in silence you search the Dreamtime your eyes meet my silence you reveal your presence with your smile