I was born into a time and place.
Others were there with me,
now known and unknown.
The day I entered the world,
you were celebrating your own existence.
There were others at your side,
now known and unknown.
Ask the Navajo. He knows, and may tell you,
about the tether of time and the gravity of place.
He will remind you of the clay beneath your feet
and your mother’s face. He will warn you that no matter
how long and hard the ride, you cannot escape
the land’s embrace, cannot refuse
those who lay claim to you,
and those to whom you lay claim.
