The fire burns bright this winter night The snow that glistens and covers our Mother Is as warm to her, as the fire so colorful That crackles and jumps high into the sky.

The Grandfathers glow for our Ancestors know the fire burns bright within our souls. Our spirits are strong, our pride never wavers.

For we all know deep within our spirit, We can never be defeated, never destroyed, the obstacles we face give our might saving grace, and we go on - knowing we will survive - we will overcome the drifts of the snow - we shall travel through, leaving our footprints in the glistening white snow, to show, to show - that we leave ourselves here, with our Mother always, deep within the glistening snow, deep within our soul.

The cries of our people - the voices in the wind - the footprints left many tracks as they traveled from within - from the land of their birth forced to leave, forced to hurt - with the loss of their babies, their fathers, their mothers, their lovers. The old ones - the Grandfathers and Grandmothers, as they marched that long Trail far from the place in which they hailed, in which they laughed and cherished and loved. Feeling the earth, living many winters, planting the crop, watching it grow - seeing another winter, the glistening snows.

Up in those mountains - the footprints are there to remind us of the history we bear.

The history of our people, our blood, is what must keep us walking through the glistening snows. With dignity and pride, with strength and determination, we leave our footprints behind in the glistening snows.

And the fire burns bright within our souls.

Svhyeyi Aga ©
Evening Rain
Cherokee
March 12, 2000