people lived here before you
you don't know their names
but they had them
they had opinions, crushes, favorite foods
untold dreams (and nightmares too)
if you look like me
they didn't look like you
they used different words
walked differently too
but they loved
and hoped
and breathed
like you do
we have not "forgotten" ~
rather, we do everything we can
to not remember
we do everything we can
to pretend there's nothing
to recall
but
the land
remembers
written on unceded territory of the Yokuts, Ani'yunwi'ya (called Cherokee), and Mvskoke Etvlwv (called Creek), now known as North & South Carolina
K. Stellar Dutcher is an artist, writer, facilitator and musician, who says “What brings me alive is to incrementally, every day, step more radically and gently into myself and my service to the world, and encourage those who cross my path to do the same in their own ways.”
