Manny Loley
trans. by Manny Loley
Two POEMS
Dólii Biyiin
saad ła’ Rex Lee Jim bits’ąą bił’iishjąąh
Hodeeyáádą́ą́’
dólii hataał jiní
bit’a’ dootł’izh nit’ę́ę́’
hayííłką́ągo nahalingo dootł’izh
níléí dziłkáági dólii yi’tahgo
Sisnaajiní hasiiya
‘Áadí diyin dine’é bik’iniiya
‘Áadí diyin dine’é shich’ih haadzíí’
bizaad éí naadą́ą́’
bitsiigha’ yiighaadgo
tádídíín bee
ahóózhǫǫdgo
nahalingo
shich’ih haadzíí’
ge’ shoh
‘iisinilts’ąą’
Sisnaajiní bikáágo
hózhǫ́ shił áhoot’éhé
Dii bee naanisdzá
Dii bee naa shidziil dooleeł
Dii bee shee’iiná’ naasht’i’ dooleeł
Dii bee naa hózhǫ́ǫ dooleeł
Bluebird’s Song
With words from Rex Lee Jim, originally appearing in Diné
At emergence
bluebird was singing
with deep blue wings
like dawn rising
flying near the mountain’s crest
bluebird called out
I ascend White Shell Mountain
At the summit, I come upon the Holy People
At the apex, the Holy People speak to me
their language is corn
tassels dancing
corn pollen
all around
beauty and harmony
restored
like this, they speak to me
be still
listen
can you hear it
on White Shell Mountain
I am whole, peaceful
with this, I return
with this, I will be strong
with this, I weave my life into being
with this, let there be oneness
Dah YiitA Bee Haniih
Díí’ tł’éé’
tł’éhonaa’éí
dah yiitą́
shimasání
ahoshidiinid
tł’éhonaa’éí
dah yiitą́go
zas dah yookaał
biyiin dah yookaał
nahagha dah yookaał
ts’aa’ bits’ą́ą́dóó
‘iinánigii
nahalingo
dah yookaał
chahałheeł
biyi’dę́ę́’
dah naa’eełgo
tł’éhonaa’éí
dah yiitą́go
k’os tł’éhonaa’éí
yinee’iiyá
chahałheeł náhasdlį́į́’
Remembering a Crescent Moon
Tonight
a crescent
moon
my grandmother
told me
when the moon
is a crescent
it cradles snow
it cradles sacred songs
it cradles ceremonies
like
the basket
of life
the moon holds these things
within
hallowed darkness,
the crescent moon
floats
clouds obscure
the moon
everything is darkness again
Manny Loley is ‘Áshįįhi born for Tó Baazhní’ázhí; his maternal grandparents are the Tódích’íi’nii and his paternal grandparents are the Kinyaa’áanii. Loley is from Casamero Lake, New Mexico. He holds an M.F.A. in fiction from the Institute of American Indian Arts and he is a current Ph.D. candidate in English and literary arts at the University of Denver.