The Old Ancestors’ Ways

You fear

The Old Ancestors’ ways

Steeped in blood? Yes.

If bloody Gods so repelled humanity

The crucifix would be barren

Jericho’s death knell would go unpraised

No Hajj would be taken up

 

No, what rankles

Is the old ways require sacrifice

Giving of oneself

Whatever one can

Oh yes there are the special offerings

First fruits

The best animal

Swords and spears bent, broken

Books full of sacred words

There are the gifts given equal in piety

Cups of water

Sacred herbs

Sweat and blood of oneself

Words offered up in earnest

 

You fear

For we are not most important

We are one among many

Skin, meat, blood, and bone living atop the Dead

Grass and mushrooms

Trees and mosses

Mice and bears

Ants and bees

Chickens and eagles

Fish and algae

Spirits eating spirits

Spirits offering spirits

Spirits thanking spirits

Spirits gifting spirits

Spirits fighting spirits

Spirits loving spirits

 

You fear

The Old Ancestors’ ways are lost

That we are merely grasping

Of course we are grasping!

We were ripped away from our Gods

We were ripped away from our Ancestors

We were ripped away from our spirits

Remember, though: They have been grasping for us, too

We are the living relationship over the wound-chasm

We are the living bridge between the Ancestors and descendants

We are the revivers of the Old Ancestors’ ways

We are the co-builders of the Ancestors’ ways

We are the co-builders of the descendants’ ways

 

Offer up that fear

That you will fail

That you are not enough

That you cannot be worthy

Offer up that fear

What stands between you

The Gods, Ancestors, and spirits

Grasp, grasp firm

For They are there

Revive what you can

Build the rest anew with Them