I

A velvet wind
a summer eclipse
the spotted dancers
chaparral blossoms in their hair

II

she awoke at 20 blankets
surprised to see her lover GONE
outside the window
chaparral bent in the wind

III

sidewinders draw out maps
in the sand Using their spine and sorrow
here is your chaparral Unsurprisingly a sister to fire

IV

in the silence
a small healing began
she became sand and chaparral

a towering landform
a team of wild horses

V

having moved then returned
small sister come as you are
a crown of twilight and chaparral

VI

red smoke
ocher smoke
a stillness under the wings of the chaparral
a trickster spider
who whispers lies then truths

Residing on the ancestral land of the Kashaya Pomo in Northern California, Jolaoso Prettythunder lives with her family and two dogs, Rosie Farstar and Ilumina Holy Dog. A dedicated farmer and freedom grower, she is a practitioner and student of herbal medicine, as well as a practitioner of Indigenous spiritual and healing traditions. As a well-traveled accidental poet, her journey is enriched by a deep connection to the land and the wisdom of its traditions, which inspire her work and creativity.