Annie Espaniel, 1923

Armand Garnet Ruffo
From:   Grey Owl: the Mystery of Archie Belaney.

He comes in all serious,
sits down at the table beside me and
says he's organizing an Indian War Dance
for Queen Victoria Day.
Me, I smile to myself when he tells me this
and look at the long face he makes.
So I say, Archie, What's an Indian War Dance? None
of us Indian people have had one of those recently.
For Archie that's OK.
He's going to take care of everything.
He'll show everybody
what they're supposed to do.

Of course he needs my help to make a special suit.
You can't have an Indian War Dance without a costume.
I agree, and he brings home some brown material
and red ribbons form the lumber company store.
He draws me a pattern and I make it up for him.
When I'm finished he paints on little arrows,
adds animal teeth and bones.
He does a good job.
It's when he makes the drum out of the cheese box
that I have to shake my head.

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Armand Garnet Ruffo's works copyright © to the author.