The Basket of the Trail of Tears

Woven in strength from blood, sweat and tears, the cries of the people, the hardship and pain, as they walked that trail, some never reach the end.

The end of life as they had always known it. To start someplace else, strong, for they owed it....to the ones who did not make that long journey, for their lives were taken, their future denied. Yet the ones that survived? They are the ones that must carry on, the legacy of the Basket, woven so strong. The Basket of the Trail of Tears, that Basket which has survived the years.

The Basket that reaches out with its strength, strength of blood, sweat and tears and life that was death, but from all of this comes the spirits of those, who were good, who were my people, the young and the old. The men and the women, the babes yet to be born, from this Basket filled with such history, my people live on.

The spirit of my people, of my Ancestry, is the spirit of this Basket that flows through me. And from me, to you, my brother, heart to heart, from this Basket the Ancestors impart, a special song, a lesson for you, to tell you how special, how unique and true, you are in your heart, spirit and mind, and strong my brother, like the winds of time.

This, you are beginning to see and feel and it all started with the spirit of this ordeal. Of a people forced to march on a long trail, filled with pain and hurt and much more to tell.

We connected this special night. My Ancestors came and entered your life.

It only proves, that tribal differences are no barrier....Indian is Indian....the road is the same....and from each other, if we listen, if we open our hearts, there is much to gain.

From the strength of the Basket of the Trail of Tears, we can learn from each other - our Strength Becomes ONE, woven in strength, blood, sweat and tears, wisdom of the Ancients, to quell our fears.

Svhyeyi Aga~Cherokee
January 18, 2002 ©

Dedicated with Honor and Respect to EDNA CHEKELELEE

And for my brother, Two Eyes

Rewritten from the original poem
May 22, 2000 © Evening Rain

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