the rivers carried me here
on glacier’s tongue I arrived
the language of water
is widely spoken
the currents bed me gently
into the lap of the mountains

the medicine woman is beating the drums
she heals my aching flesh
she seals my bleeding wounds
from the rhythm of her drum
from the voice of her song
a blessing received

behind this veil of fog
the mountains rise
giants of stone
grey clouds dim the light
the medicine woman leads me
to caverns in the deep

I enter the belly of the earth
where shadows dwell
where I walk astray
in strange chambers
ash and smoke fill the air
old fires burn
long before mankind

Medicine Woman:
a demon gnaws
at the roots of the mountain
you must face
what you will find there

salvation
damnation
both are fertile grounds for healing

We are all under one sky
the wretched, the unwanted
the demon is I

you are my brother
I see you
you are my sister
I see you

a part of me
apart from me
I know you
I love you
I set you free

Medicine Woman:
rise like fire
travel as the snow leopard does
his name is Wind
he might mislead you if he pleases

over steep hill and slope
I stumble, I fall, I rise
over rock, root and stone
I stumble, I fall, I rise

your shadow follows you
whispering Cassandra’s truth
and the summit floats
in a sea of fiery clouds

Medicine Woman:
I carved these bones for you
they will keep your foot steady
your step determined
the roots of the mountain
become your roots

she walks me to a cliff

it’s time for you to return home
all it takes is a leap of faith
trust you will be held
like clouds falling from the sky
arrive on earth as snowflakes or drops of rain
unburdened by self

but I just found myself

then lose yourself again
the sun is always shining above the clouds
so are you
always yourself
no matter the clouds of the world
you rise by falling

I take the step
cutting the strings
flying towards earth

a spirit free