THE DRUMS
Come my brothers and sisters, come all the children of our land,
come and sit by the village fire as the night closes around us.
Watch the flames push the smoke upward toward Grandfather Sky.
Our hope is deep as we send these, the most silent of prayers to ride
the smoke to the Great Spirit. The drums beat softly

Sit quietly all my people and hear the sound, hear the crackling of the fire,
the sound of family and friends, sharing their happiness. The warmth we
feel comes from this sharing of love not the fire. Look closely into each
other’s eyes. What do we see?What is it, that is reflected back to us?
We see ourselves in one another and all that which has made
us who you are. The drums beat faster.

Close your eyes my family, and listen to the wind as it stirs the flames higher.
Listen to the songs of our ancestors. They offer so much, all we need do is
open your hearts to their words. Only when we listen andlearn from their
wisdom can we grow as a people.
The drums beat louder

Inhale the aromas around you, smell the sage burning, the food cooking
in the pits, the deer hide that we wear the rain in the air and Mother Earth
under our feet. The drums beat shakes the ground like buffalo
running across the prairie

Taste what has come to our lips. Taste the tears of joy that come from
our eyes. They are the tears of the past, present and the future.
Grandfather Eagle has given us a view of the future, and it is good.

Then we realize it is not the drums that beat so loudly, but our own hearts
coming together as one people under the Great Spirit, in Peace, Love and
Harmony.