Happy Poetry Friday! This week we are hosted by Linda Baie at her blog, Teacher Dance. Thank you, Linda, for hosting! She has a ghoulish poem waiting.
I wasn’t sure what to share this week. I’ve been revising old work this week, so haven’t written a poem, at least not one that’s ready for my blog.
But this summer I was paging through my Norton Anthology of American Literature and discovered Gertrude Simmons Bonnin’s “Impressions of an Indian Childhood.” I had never heard of her. A citizen of the Yankton Sioux Nation, Zitkala-Ša was an activist who believed she could be both an American Citizen as well as a citizen of the Yankton Sioux (or Dakota) Nation.
Zitkala-Ša was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in 1938. She was eligible for burial there because her husband, Raymond, fought in WW l. He joined her later. On her tombstone is inscribed “Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Zitkala-Ša, of the Sioux’ 1876-1938.” On the reverse, a plains-style tepee is engraved, making it a symbol of both the United States and the Yankton Sioux Nation.
To learn more about her, I recommend an article entitled “Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, Zitkala-Ša: Advocate for the “Indian vote”, by Cathleen D. Cahill.
Reading her detailed writing about her childhood gave me a glimpse of what daily life was like then. Of course, there was much heartbreak and loss in her writing, about stolen land, murders of close relatives by white Americans and more.
But there was childhood play, too, in her work. In “Impressions of an Indian Childhood” she describes something universal to childhood, trying to outsmart her shadow. I found her writing charming and sweetly evocative of when I was seven or eight years-old.
Zitkala-Ša writes: "Faster and faster I ran, setting my teeth and clenching my fists, determined to overtake my own fleet shadow. But ever swifter it slides before me, while I was growing breathless and hot. Slackening my speed, I was greatly vexed that my shadow would check its pace also. Daring it to the utmost, as I thought, I sat down upon a rock imbedded in the hillside. So! my shadow had the impudence to sit down beside me!
MY TRICKSTER FRIEND (A poem inspired by “Impressions of Indian Childhood.”by Gertrude Simmons Bonnin) This morning I walked, the sun behind me. My trickster friend walked ahead. As we danced down the street, she copied my dance moves, leading the way. When I turned to come home, she disappeared. But soon she was there again! Sitting on my front steps sharing my ice cream. © Janice Scully 2021, Draft.
On a different note, Happy Halloween! It’s almost here and thank you, Linda, for hosting.
ooooooh! I love this post. I love the reading you did about Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Zitkala-Ša. It makes me want to research too! Thank you for sharing the article link. What a fun poem about shadows. That trickster friend is common to Zitkala-Sa and you and me. A perfect invitation to share–even the ice cream.
Wow, Janice, this is wonderful, to learn about Gertrude Simmons Bonin and to read her impressions from a romp in the sun: “my shadow had the impudence to sit down beside me!” And then, you captured the flavor of it in your own walk, just right from the child’s POV.
Oh, the conversations going on here — thank you for sharing!
Janice, I enjoyed your back story of Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša). She sounds like a fascinating character whose voice was strong as an advocate. But this line from her writing struck me as a child with spirit and full of curiosity. “I was greatly vexed that my shadow would check its pace also.” My little granddaughter and I were playing with our shadows on one of our walks. I am so glad that you shared a poem of yours. I want to read it to my little granddaughters. They will relate to “My trickster friend/walked ahead.”
So interesting to hear how your research led to your connection across time and cultures and ultimately to your poem! I love me some rich back story!!
Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša) sounds like a fascinating individual and I hope to check out the link later and learn more. In the meantime, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her shadow play which led to your own. I always enjoy reading about the many ways that poems are born. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the introduction to Ms. Zitkala-Ša. I love the expression on her face in the photo, and the narrator’s voice in your poem. Great ending!
Wonderful. I so enjoyed being introduced to Zitkala-Ša! You’re right about her writing having a lot of charm. It’s heartening to know her childlike spirit endured despite the hardships she experienced. Your response poem is lovely too — both of course reminded me of one of my favorite childhood poems by RLS, “My Shadow.”
Thank you very much for introducing me to this writer–I will definitely go look her up. The shadow experience is just universal, is what I’m reminded of. Looking forward to getting into that with PreK soon!
Janice thank you for introducing us to this fascinating woman. I really enjoyed the poem she inspired you to write.
Janice, that ending is perfect. How impudent to be sharing an ice cream cone. I don’t want to share, even with a shadow! Thanks for the introduction and history lesson, too!
How you have captured Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Ša). I love the idea of the shadow and sharing the ice cream.