Myths such as that from the Kiowa tribe tell that the seven sisters, whilst running from the great bear, they hopped upon a great stump that grew into the enormous stump formation we see today in Wyoming, Devil’s Tower. The seven sisters were borne unto the sky and became the night stars which now make up the Big Dipper.

 

 

Tales of the Tribe – Seven Siblings

 

~

Seven siblings, cousins and daughters

of sages, the fathers of a Kiowa tribe,

 

were outside playing, where they were staying,

a sacred place their fathers subscribed.

 

The girls, on their own, were playing alone

when the boy appeared, out of nowhere.

 

“We are seven sisters, cousins playing

while staying at this sacred place here.”

 

“I am the boy, who lives by the mountains.

I come here freely to breathe the fresh air.”

 

“We are here playing hide and go chase,

and we would be happy, if you could come too.”

 

The boy said he would, if he could be Bear,

for that is the creature that lives in this place.

 

The seven siblings, cousins and daughters

of sages; fathers of Kiowa a tribe,

 

ran off with bear chasing right after,

their peels and squeals of high pleasure laughter.

 

The girls and boy, the boy was their toy;

the girls were, however, Bear’s real treasure.

 

He played as the bear, and they were his fare;

when the girls turned around, the boy wasn’t there.

 

The play had turned real, a real Grizzly Bear;

and the fun had thus turned into fear.

 

Seven siblings, cousins, and daughters,

all of them running, but now running faster.

 

Then while running, the Bear behind coming,

they heard from the trunk of a tree

 

the charitable words: “Come, climb upon me.”

and the seven girls climbed upon the stump of a tree

 

The tree stump rose upward, into the ether,

leaving the Bear, growling behind.

 

He tried to climb, hungry and eager,

to get to the siblings, cousins, and daughters.

 

And the trunk kept growing, far out of sight,

‘til the girls then became the seven stars of night.

~

 

 

©2013, Marvin Loyd Welborn

31 July 2013

 

Poem’s Score: 2.7