WHEEL
I was given a long flexible stick
And told to make something useful.
As a traveler and hunter for my tribe,
I set out to complete this task,
But did the elders know what they asked?
A wheel can mark a hunter’s domain,
Marking the outer edge of his territory,
an equidistance from the center point,
and keeping him close to home.
We were following buffalo, dear, and other game,
Dragging our tepees across the plain.
When wheels were attached to a cart,
They became an essential part,
Allowing the cart to travel smoothly
With a bigger load.
A small fire carried as a light,
Marked a circle around us and
Helped us find our way in the darkest night.
And as we were later told,
A wheel of light helped sailors
Stay away from rocky shore,
Crashing on rocks nevermore.
Later, when we had time to invent,
One man stationary at a center point while another walked,
Our tribe developed a sprinkling system,
Circular and precise, measured with string,
An easy way to keep track of everything.
But did the elders know how much we could learn
By inventing with a stick, twine, and imagining?
June 27, 2017
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