I find myself sitting here in the middle of Tucson, at a computer no less, required to merge into the traffic of modern life with a MILLION other living, breathing, struggling bodies. PRIORITIZE! Make enough money to pay the rent. Create enough beauty to stay sane. Don’t waste too much time longing for the wilderness life style where I first remembered how to make pots and dance with the gods. This is “The Wilderness of Humanity “. The wilderness of the human psyche sprawled out in all its glory and fantastic diversity for me to ramble around in and find my way. This is EXACTLY what I had been avoiding for the last 30 years!

Funny thing is THEIR here! In my hour of need Bear spirit ambles on in, cuts me some slack, and gives me the same old hope and inspiration. And right on his tail along comes Badger and then at long last Dog, whose form I had been wondering about for years. Perhaps this is the sweetest lesson for me here in the city: you can take the woman out of the wilderness but never the wilderness out of the woman.

In the center of the center of Tucson is the umbilicus of Mother Earth. I know because it’s where I go to grow my food. Growing food in Southern Arizona is no picnic. I persevere. I eat from my little organic garden every day. I wear a stunning ceremonial corn necklace that I grew there last summer. It is my constant reminder of the beauty that comes from braving the elements morning and night to keep the sacred corn alive.

Knowing all the while, that it is the sacred corn that is actually keeping me alive …

Again At Long Last

In your divine presence,
again, at long last
everything becomes more Bearable.
A life; too busy
too fast, too full of chaos: “modern life”.
Too busy, too fast
too disconnected from your power
your beauty.

In your divine presence
Everything
becomes more Bearable.
I feel the power in your paws, heavy
playing Mother Earth like a drum.
And everything becomes more Bearable.

Cathie Jo, August 12, 2002
Good Food Farm, Allison Co.

Song to the Bear and Back Again

You are my cousin and I take from you.
You are my cousin and I give to you.
I take your life, I give my thanks.
I take your life, I give my thanks.

I am your cousin I gave to you.
I am your cousin I give to you.
I gave my life, I give you Life.
I gave my life, I give you life.

You are my cousin, You gave to me.
You are my cousin, You give to me.
You gave your life, you give me life
You gave your life, you give me life.

I am your cousin, I give to you.
I am your cousin, I accept from you.
I give you life, I accept your thanks.
I give you life, I accept your thanks.

Cathie Jo aka Shar Shk Buk
June,24th. 1991, Bear Creek, AK.