Glencoe Literature Florida Treasures, American Literature
Special Request for the Children of Mother Corn Zuñi (Traditional)
Perhaps if we are lucky Our earth mother Will wrap herself in a fourfold robe Of white meal, Full of frost flowers; A floor of ice will spread over the world, The forests, Because of the cold, will lean to one side, Their arms will break beneath the weight of snow. When the days are thus, The flesh of our earth mother Will crack with cold. Then, in the spring when she is replete with living waters, Our mothers, All different kinds of corn, In their earth mother We shall lay to rest. With their earth mother's living waters They will be made into new beings; Into their sun father's daylight They will come out standing; Yonder to all directions They will stretch out their hands calling for rain. Then with their fresh waters [The rain makers] will pass us on our roads. Clasping their young ones in their arms, They will rear their children. Gathering them into our houses, Following these toward whom our thoughts bend, With our thoughts following them, Thus we shall always live.
SEQUENCE
QUESTION
ANALYZE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
COMPREHENSION
CULTURE
ANALYZE CULTURE
CONNECT
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