Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan

Author:Violet Duncan [Duncan, Violet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2024-08-27T00:00:00+00:00

17

A Field of Sweetgrass

The trail through the valley eventually opens up to a field where grass sways gently in the breeze, almost hypnotizing me with its rhythm.

I see our SUV ahead, where Mom pulled off the road. Mom and Sage wave over to us.

I hop off Luna and tie her loosely to a nearby branch. Pulling out Mosom’s tobacco bundle from my pocket, I walk over to the edge of the grass line and empty the dry leaves onto the earth. I say my prayer of thanks quietly.

As I walk out to the field, I notice how the grass grows as high as my chest in places. Autumn runs off and disappears into the tall grass.

“Hey, Mom,” I say when I reach my mother. “Can you remind me again how sweetgrass looks versus regular grass?”

“Summer, we pick sweetgrass every year.” Mom chuckles. “Remember it feels more circular and stronger than regular grass, and the color is more of a lime green than grass green, you know what I mean?”

“I know, I just forget! And I want to make sure I pick the right grass because Mosom asked me to get him some too.”

“Well, when you pick, just remember to clear your mind from any negative thoughts and relax,” Mom answers, slowing her pace and then disappearing into the tall grass. “Sometimes you have to wait and be patient for sweetgrass to reveal itself to you.”

Okay, sweetgrass, I whisper as I start to explore the field, go ahead, reveal yourself to me, I’m ready.

In the distance I hear Sage shout, “I think I found some, Mom!”

“Good job, my boy!” I hear Mom exclaim.

Great! Sage already found some…Come on, sweetgrass, do your thing, reveal yourself.

I watch the grass blowing around, and I sit down and pluck at some nearby strands.

“Sweethearts,” Mom calls out, “remember you need to pick down from the root. The roots are light purple, and the smell is like a soft vanilla.”

I take a deep breath, look out into the grass, and see some soft lime-green stalks of sweetgrass. Mom was right; sweetgrass can reveal itself to you.

I pick the long strands until I figure I have a bundle big enough for two sweetgrass braids. Pleased with my amount, I stand up to see how Mom and Sage are doing.

Mom has her sun hat on and is humming a round dance tune as she slowly picks the sweetgrass. Sage found a branch and is using it as a walking stick to examine the grass.

Everyone seems at peace. I walk over to the SUV, where I start to separate my bundle into two and braid each one carefully, tying off the ends with the longest grass strands I could find.

I breathe in the scent of each sweetgrass braid before setting them down on the hood of the car. Feeling good to have my tasks done, I decide to lie back down in the grass and relax a bit. As I watch the big, fluffy clouds crawl by, I think of Mosom—how he was taken as a child and never experienced this.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.