The medicine dress

​The Medicine Dance, 2022
by Thomas Peacock
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Sometimes at night
when sleep takes me to that place
where all things are possible
and the earth and sky merge as one
I dream
and tonight, in a dream
I hear the voices of old men
long passed on to the spirit world
gathered there among the sky spirits
within the circle of the wolf’s trail
and the path of souls and night sun
there
singing
their voices high and in the familiar sing-song
of the old time Ojibwe
there around the drum
their voices
echoing off the big water
and sky filled with stars
too many to even wonder
singing, singing
then, in the forever sky
my beautiful daughter
there
her hair and dark eyes
there in her jingle dress
she dances, head held high
proud
dancing, dancing

© Thomas Peacock, 2022

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Ziibaaska'iganagooday Bwaajigan (Dream Vision of the Jingle Dress) is part of "Those that have gone before us and all those yet unborn" Exhibition at AICHO Galleries, Duluth Minnesota. Thirteen artists were paired with thirteen writers. The writers were tasked with subjectively interpreting the art they were paired with. I'm grateful, and fortunate, that Thomas Peacock was chosen for my work. Gichi-miigwech Thomas for your beautiful words. 

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A special miigwech to AICHO and CPL Imaging for providing the image.

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​© Artwork, Robert DesJarlait, 2022