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.

 
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