Do not murder the man whose
grandfather stole land from
your grandfather. Do not make
your grandchildren, who will
love you no matter what, decide
whether or not to tell the truth or
live like hollow stems.
Don't let rage become a flash
flood, or a lightning bolt that
strikes you again and again.
Would you save every tissue you
blew snot into? No, we cannot
save everything.
Maybe we can't save anything
or anybody except ourselves.
Some animals evolved from the
ocean to the land; they chose
to take the first step. It's okay
to swim back to yourself like
an undammed river.
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Jennifer Greene, who is of Salish and Chippewa-Cree descent, is the author of the children’s book Huckleberries, Buttercups and Celebrations, which uses Salish words. She also wrote two award-winning books of poetry, 'What I Keep' and 'What Lasts,' which have earned national and international acclaim. Most recently, Greene was awarded the 2010 MENADA Literary Prize at the Ditët e Naimet festival in Macedonia. "Rivers" was published in her collection What Lasts.
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