to see the young join hands that are wrinkled
and have seen many winters
it is good this
to see our Metis kin
join hands in unity
it is good this
to see a white hand reach in
and clasp our hands in friendship and solidarity
it is good this
we understand
when the earth whispers
this is not your fight alone
it is OUR fight
it is good this
Published online July 18, 2013
Duncan Mercredi is a Cree/Metis poet/writer/storyteller originally from Misipawistik (Grand Rapids, Manitoba). He is the author of four books of poetry and his work has been featured in three anthologies of Native writings and in periodicals such as Prairie Fire and CV2. He attended the Banff Centre screenwriting workshop after receiving the Ross Charles Award for his work, oomsikakispanik. Duncan has participated in several conferences and festivals including the Winnipeg International Writers Festival, the Winnipeg Storytellers Festival, Brandon University’s Aboriginal Writers and Storytellers Festival and the Singing Waters Storytellers Gathering. He has also conducted workshops for the Young Authors Conference in Winnipeg and held readings in and around Winnipeg, Calgary and Regina. He is currently working on a manuscript which has been a ten-year project to date, composed mostly of writing he has done has a member of Manitoba’s Aboriginal Writers Collective.
