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May 4, 2024
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Video: Henry Real Bird, 2009 Montana Poet Laureate

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
by
jodi@imfreedomalliance.org https://twitter.com/JodiRave
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Sunshine Archambault, a Standing Rock Sioux Tribe citizen, said she sees the younger generation are interested in learning Lakota/Dakota and want to provide opportunities for them to learn. Photo credit/ Adrianna Adame

Henry Real Bird, Photo: KUED
Henry Real Bird, Photo: KUED
The Montana Festival of the Booka wrapped up on Saturday. Wonderful. I had the chance to see some friends who arrived from New Mexico and Oregon. As usual, a nice mix of panels, presenters, authors and plenty to talk about in the way of writing. One of the last panels of the day was called the Montana Poetry Salon, an event that called Henry Real Bird, 2009 Montana Poet Laureate to the stage. I recorded a short video of Real Bird reciting “Driftwood Feeling.” I’ve been familiar with the poetry of the Crow poet from Garryowen, Mont. for many years.  brings great honor to the title, one bestowed upon him by state Gov. Brian Schweitzer in September. The people who have been selected as the poet laureate are noted for their “exceptional talent and accompishment.”

Enjoy the video!

Also, here’s the text to the poem in the video:

Driftwood Feelin’

How much longer

Do you want

To be in the wind

Elk River’s edge

There I am standin’

Lookin’ for a feelin’

In the roar of the water

Come down river lookin’ around

Feelin’ gotta roam.

Driftwood feelin’

Floatin’ down love river

Hearts way can’t do

I’m catchin’ a ride

Driftwood feelin’

Floatin’ down love river

Hearts way can’t do

I’m catchin’ a ride

Floatin’ down love river.

Somewhere

Between the reflection and the stars

Is the feelin’ of life in love

Where you could hear

The stars in the wind

Feelin’, twinklin’, and flutterin’

In cottonwood leaves

Just a feelin’ in the wind

In yesterday from days gone by

Can I have tomorrow

From yesterday, that I borrow?

Driftwood feelin’

Floatin’ down love river

Hearts way can’t do

I’m catchin’ a ride

Driftwood feelin’

Floatin’ down love river

Hearts way can’t do

I’m catchin’ a ride

Floatin’ down love river.

Henry Real Bird

Jodi Rave

 

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Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
jodi@imfreedomalliance.org https://twitter.com/JodiRave

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear is the founder and director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization with offices in Bismarck, N.D. and the Fort Berthold Reservation. Jodi spent 15 years reporting for the mainstream press. She's been awarded prestigious Nieman and John S. Knight journalism fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. She also an MIT Knight Science Journalism Project fellow. Her writing is featured in "The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity," published by Columbia University Press. Jodi currently serves as a Society of Professional Journalists at-large board member, an SPJ Foundation board member, and she chairs the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee. Jodi has won top journalism awards from mainstream and Native press organizations. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

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