it is good this

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

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.