A
willow branch is bent to form
A
circle to portend
The
unity of The People
From
beginning to the end
Then
back to the beginning
A
cycle ne'er to break
A
guide throughout a lifetime
One
which will not forsake
Then
all around the circle
Offerings
were tied
To
represent those things in life
By
which we shall abide
Feathers
- beads - a tuft of fur
And
silken strands of hair
Decorate
the hoop as it
Swings
freely in the air.
Lakota
legend tell us
Just
how this came to be
A
spider and great teacher
Would
let our dreams flow free
Iktomi
reached to lift the hoop
And
then began to spin
A
web to fill the circle
Completely
from within
But
at the very center
He
left a single hole
In
order that the bad dreams
Remain
in its control
He
spoke then of life's forces
There
are good he said - and sad
The
web will catch the good ones
The
hole will guide the bad
Away
from those beneath it
To
vanish with the sun
Ideas
- hopes and dreams will be
Allowed
to freely run
And
to this day it still remains
As
told so long ago
Belief
in the Great Spirit
Will
always live to show
That
when this sacred hoop is hung
Above
a place for sleep
The
Dream Catcher protects us
Its
offerings ours to reap
Brother
Wolf © '99
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