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Raven Woman Takes Flight

Published on February 11th, 2010

By RETA LORRAINE BOWEN TAYLOR

Following is a poem by Reta Lorraine Bowen Taylor that is dedicated to Elizabeth Peratrovich. It was written in 2007.

Raven Woman kept quiet

and raised her Tlingit family

and danced the Tennessee Waltz

with Roy, her Eagle husband

She stayed out of

all those places

she was supposed to stay out of

and didnt complain

about the injustice

until

she looked inside her Childrens eyes

and saw their futures

were not free

saw

their feet would not carry them

to all the places they should go

and knew in her Raven wisdom

she must conjure up

the power

once again

like long ago (in legend)

when ancient Raven used the trickery

of his wise and witty tongue

to distract the ancient chief

long enough for Raven

to quickly steal the sun

from the chiefs secret box

and bring light to all the people

The Alaskan Territorial Legislature

debated the bill

as though it were just another everyday thing

as Raven Woman (who was called Elizabeth)

listened from above, in the gallery

knitting, and taking notes,

a sparkling tear rolling down her high cheek bone

as she watched Loretta, her young Raven daughter

play about amongst the chairs happily

and at

just the right moment

like back in the Tlingits ancient world

Raven Woman Elizabeth rose silently

and gathered up her notes

she came down from the gallery

to stand before the gathered modern chiefs

for she wanted something

something that they had

(locked in their secret box)

and she knew she had to use her tongue wisely

with a measured amount of wit and heart

to unlock that box

and let the light out

for her people.

She stood then but without swaying timidly

in the dress she had made with her own busy hands

and all stopped and looked up to listen

knowing

she surely had something important to say

and her voice was deliberate

as she addressed the sitting chiefs and the one who had just asked:

Who are these people, barely out of savagery,

who want to associate with us whites with 5,000

years of recorded civilization behind us?

She answered him:

I would not have expected, that I, who am barely out of savagery would have to remind gentlemen with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill or Rights. When my husband and I came to Juneau and sought a home in a nice neighborhood where our children could play happily with our neighbors children, we found such a house and had arranged to lease it. When the owners learned that we were Indians, they said no. Would we be compelled to live in the slums?

A Senator-Chief responded by asking Raven Woman whether a law would end discrimination.

Have you eliminated larceny or murder by passing a law against it? No law will eliminate crimes, but at least you, as legislators, can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of the present situation and speak your intent to help us overcome discrimination.

~~~~~And Raven again took light from the box~~~~~

~~~~where it had been kept locked away~~~~

~~~and gave it freely to all the people~~~