
Poetry and Writings
But I cannot foresee a life without you
you’re the color illuminating the flowers
the sky, the earth, and my home
I would do anything to make you feel less alone
I’m sorry I’m not around as often as i used to be
I’m working as hard as i can with my nine-to-four
I wish i would’ve taken more days off
just to see you a little bit more.
We may not talk every day
and when we were younger it was endless fun
I hope you know i think of you every time i pray
and wish you were running with us under the sun.
now home is only a house
it’s empty without you
every day I sit in deep regret,
I still don’t know what to do.
the holidays are no longer filled with cheer,
and the sky is fading to grey
“how are you? I miss you and I love you.”
I should’ve said it out loud every single day.
Beardance
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Bear Dance usually takes place in early
June. Women are not allowed to touch the instruments played for
music and not allowed to dance with relatives. The Bear Dance goes
on for about 3 days. The last dance goes until the last couple is done
or falls. We eat traditional foods during the celebration and wear
well-designed shawls, moccasins, and dress shirts.

Land, Hunting, Traditions
We used to roam most of the Earth and build our tipis and wickiups,
Hoping for better seasons of food and weather.
Our men would hunt and learn the skills of hunting and language,
And give their first kill to an elder to give thanks.
He takes out the heart of the animal and prays for blessings.
We never hunted bears unless needed for medicine,
As they are the animals of our people.
Animals will never be taken for granted in our tradition.
We love and respect all,
And pray and say thanks for letting us provide for our homes.
Our traditional ceremonies, Beardance and Sundance,
Were our communication to meet and
introduce our families to one another.
We could never meet due to our traveling,
But I’m happy to see you and know your name.
I hope after this harsh winter coming,
I can see you again.
You must dream of our dance first to participate
And we will know it was meant for you.
Our hair holds memories of our life,
All the people we meet and everything we’ve ever done.
I pray for your health and happiness
And when the day comes when I am gone,
Cut your hair to take away the bad energy.
Our memories will hold a place in your heart.
We do not hunt snakes or owls as they are bad luck.
We respect their space and leave them be.
If we kill them, we must eat them.
Plants, Herbs, Medicines
In the days we used to live,
Wild onions and yucca plants were sources of food.
We boiled leaves and flowers for tea
And ashes of them for juice.
Wild chokecherries and buffalo berries were always picked
And sourced for a special snack to cease our hunger.
Our sage used for healing and blessings
To keep negative energies away and protect us
From any harm in our bodies and minds.
For our family is sacred and must be kept safe,
We ask for forgiveness, health, and protection at all times.
Beading, Clothing, Cradleboards, Medicine Bags
We used tendons of the animals we hunted for threading our hides
That provided us with warmth for our travels.
The whole winter season was more preparation for the next with our clothing and food
As we handmade everything we used to wear and use.
Loom work was strung on bones and our designs were
Always floral and geometrical like our roses on our cradleboards.
We used the natural dye of plants to make our colors
And traded our beads for other things.
Our weaving was what brought peace to our minds
And help our hands work better.
We never craft our art with anger as it can hurt the person it is created for.
Cedar and medicine bags were created most often
To carry our belongings and needs.
A woman’s first work of art must be given to an elder.
Our moccasins always took the longest to be made
And we used the long winters for it so we could return to dance with them.

In every cell, a dance unseen,
Where glucose and insulin convene.
Type 1, a fight with no reprieve,
Type 2, resistance it does cleave.
Blood sugar's rise, its fall we track,
Through diet, exercise, we fight back.
Education guides, awareness steers,
In diabetes' journey, knowledge clears.
In the dance of life, a rhythm to find,
Diabetes whispers, but we're not confined.
With knowledge as our guiding star,
We embrace each day, no matter how far.
Healthy foods, a colorful array,
Keep blood sugars steady, come what may.
Exercise, our joyful play,
Strengthens hearts, come what may.
Together we stand, a vibrant band,
Supporting each other, hand in hand.
With laughter, love, and care we share,
We conquer challenges, beyond compare.
So let's celebrate our health each day,
With gratitude and joy, come what may.
For in unity, we find our might,
Living fully, in love and light.
In veins, a silent battle rages, unseen,
Where sugar's dance disrupts the serene.
A body's fortress under siege, betrayed,
By insulin's absence, the price unpaid.
A dance of numbers, a tightrope walk,
Where highs and lows in harmony balk.
Pancreas's whisper lost in the fray,
Diabetes's shadow dims the day.
Counting carbs, measuring each bite,
Balancing life in the flicker of light.
Pricks and pokes, a constant refrain,
Yet resilience blooms amidst the pain.
Courage forged in needles' sting,
Hope in the melody that courage can bring.
Diabetes, a foe, yet a teacher profound,
In its grasp, strength and resilience found.
So let us stand, hand in hand,
In the face of trials, together we'll stand.
For in unity, we find the key,
To conquer the depths of diabetes's sea.
In shadows cast by sugar's sway,
Diabetes looms, an unwelcome fray.
Yet through the darkness, light can gleam,
With strength and courage, it's not a dream.
With each sunrise, a chance to fight,
To keep blood sugar levels right.
Healthy meals and exercise, they say,
Are the allies to keep it at bay.
Monitor, manage, never despair,
For in resilience, we find our share
Of hope and healing, day by day,
Together, we'll navigate this way.
So let's embrace each challenge met,
With determination, we'll offset
The trials of diabetes, we'll endure,
With love and support, forever secure.
the troubles of living will always show
all the steps we take in daily life
in struggles of school, work, or home
sometimes the light isn’t as bright
being a kid, you always wish to get older
darkness creeps in and clouds us
but now it’s hard collect someone’s shoulder
few don’t get the luxury of trust and love like others
when the night comes,
you realize how much you miss your father or mother
the endless taunt of a nine-to-five to survive
and it feels harder and harder to stay alive
maybe it’s the liquor in their breath
or the cycle of bullying in the halls
a friend that stabbed you in the back
or when you don’t receive any phone calls.