THERE IS NO WORD FOR GOODBYE
Sokoya, I said, looking through
the net of wrinkles into
wise black pools
of her eyes.
What do you say in Athabascan
when you leave each other?
What is the word
for goodbye?
A shade of feeling rippled
the wind-tanned skin.
Ah, nothing, she said
watching the river flash.
She looked at me close.
We just say, Tlaa. That means
See you.
We never leave each other.
When does your mouth
Say goodbye to your heart?
She touched me light
as a bluebell.
You forget when you leave us;
you’re so small then.
We don’t use that word.
We always think you’re coming back,
but if you don’t,
we’ll see you someplace else.
You understand.
There is no word for goodbye.
– Mary TallMountain –
From Mary TallMountain’s volume of poems The Light on the Wall. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1990.
Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter on Pixabay
“Sokoya” means “aunt” in the Athabascan language.
