Canyon de Chelly, photo by the Poet‘Canyon de Chelly’: A Poem by James A. Tweedie The Society May 17, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . Canyon de Chelly Reflections of a Non-Native Visitor . An updraft from the red-rock canyon floor Blows through the mesa’s Piñon pine and sage As ravens, wings outstretched, in freedom soar Between the distant past and present age. At night, Coyote and the owl seek prey Beneath the Milky Way’s broad arching band; While with the first light of the sun, Diné Arise to thank and draw life from the land. Yet deep within the crevassed canyon’s wall The spirits of the Ancient Ones live on Where voiceless fortress homes and kivas call Us to recall what was, but now is gone. And from the silent fallen ruins come The silent echos of a silent drum. . Canyon de Chelly: Pronounced “de Shay,” a canyon in Arizona. Diné: What the Navajo people call themselves. Literally, “the people.” Kivas: An underground chamber used by Pueblo men for ceremonies or councils. . . James A. Tweedie is a retired pastor living in Long Beach, Washington. He has written and published six novels, one collection of short stories, and three collections of poetry including Mostly Sonnets, all with Dunecrest Press. His poems have been published nationally and internationally in The Lyric, Poetry Salzburg (Austria) Review, California Quarterly, Asses of Parnassus, Lighten Up Online, Better than Starbucks, Dwell Time, Light, Deronda Review, The Road Not Taken, Fevers of the Mind, Sparks of Calliope, Dancing Poetry, WestWard Quarterly, Society of Classical Poets, and The Chained Muse. He was honored with being chosen as the winner of the 2021 SCP International Poetry Competition. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. CODEC Stories:Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) 11 Responses Paddy Raghunathan May 17, 2023 “Silent echoes of a silent drum.” My goodness…this sonnet invokes the ancient spirits of Arizona so intimately and subtly. Very, very nice. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson May 17, 2023 As one who lived in Arizona intermittently for eleven years, I can readily identify with your images and words. This made me think of more than one canyon I visited and tribes of the “Ancient Ones..” Thank you for causing me to conjure up pleasant memories. This really is a consummate sonnet. Reply Mantz Yorke May 17, 2023 Enjoyed this poem. Visited the Canyon quite a few years ago – spectacular. But too brief a visit to appreciate much of the sweep of the culture/ Reply Paul Freeman May 17, 2023 ‘The silent echos of a silent drum.’ Wow! Says it all. Makes us realise how transient civilisations are. Great stuff as always, James. Thanks for the read. Reply Joseph S. Salemi May 17, 2023 This is very nicely done, and evocative of memories. My family went on vacation in 1962 to Arizona and New Mexico, and I remember the kiva in Mesa Verde, with the small “sipapu” from which (according to the Pueblo Indians) human beings first emerged into existence. The Pueblo tribe called those Ancient Ones “the Anasazi.” Reply Phil S. Rogers May 17, 2023 A great reminder of a trip to Arizona many years back. Beautiful in a way not imaginable even looking at photographs unless you have been there. So different from New England. My wife and I pulled out our old photo albums to reminisce about our trip. Thank you. Reply Wayne May 17, 2023 Cañon de Chelly – Navaho – Edward S. Curtis https://edwardcurtisprints.com/blog-post-title/ Reply James A. Tweedie May 17, 2023 Nice link, Wayne. The beauty of the people and country captured in Curtis’ photography has not changed all that much over the years. I recently returned from a ten-day trip from Albuquerque to Phoenix with a group that included two Pueblos (from Acoma and Laguna) two Navajo and one Gila River (AZ) tribal member who shared Southwest history from their perspective as we travelled from place to place and met with many other native people along the way. This poem was one of several I wrote along the way. It was the easiest to write and the easiest to share. Reply C.B. Anderson May 18, 2023 You just keep getting better, James, and I think you know it. You showed me a canyon I’ve never been to, and I am mighty happy that I tagged along. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant May 18, 2023 James, this is a truly beautiful sonnet that taps into the spirit of the land with respect and rapture in equal measure – ‘Canyon de Chelly’ is a wonderful and admirable poem. The landscape is breathtaking… I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time in 2016, and the ghosts of history whispered to me as a dust devil rose before me… I’ll never forget it. Reply Corey Jackson June 12, 2023 Your sonnet beautifully captures the kindred spiritual resonance between the native ruins and the Ancient Ones of the Canyon de Chelly. Its robust lively imagery of pine and sage, ravens, Coyote and owl brings forth memories of other native North American lands that harbor spirits from our past. Reply Leave a Reply to C.B. Anderson Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. 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Paddy Raghunathan May 17, 2023 “Silent echoes of a silent drum.” My goodness…this sonnet invokes the ancient spirits of Arizona so intimately and subtly. Very, very nice. Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson May 17, 2023 As one who lived in Arizona intermittently for eleven years, I can readily identify with your images and words. This made me think of more than one canyon I visited and tribes of the “Ancient Ones..” Thank you for causing me to conjure up pleasant memories. This really is a consummate sonnet. Reply
Mantz Yorke May 17, 2023 Enjoyed this poem. Visited the Canyon quite a few years ago – spectacular. But too brief a visit to appreciate much of the sweep of the culture/ Reply
Paul Freeman May 17, 2023 ‘The silent echos of a silent drum.’ Wow! Says it all. Makes us realise how transient civilisations are. Great stuff as always, James. Thanks for the read. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi May 17, 2023 This is very nicely done, and evocative of memories. My family went on vacation in 1962 to Arizona and New Mexico, and I remember the kiva in Mesa Verde, with the small “sipapu” from which (according to the Pueblo Indians) human beings first emerged into existence. The Pueblo tribe called those Ancient Ones “the Anasazi.” Reply
Phil S. Rogers May 17, 2023 A great reminder of a trip to Arizona many years back. Beautiful in a way not imaginable even looking at photographs unless you have been there. So different from New England. My wife and I pulled out our old photo albums to reminisce about our trip. Thank you. Reply
Wayne May 17, 2023 Cañon de Chelly – Navaho – Edward S. Curtis https://edwardcurtisprints.com/blog-post-title/ Reply
James A. Tweedie May 17, 2023 Nice link, Wayne. The beauty of the people and country captured in Curtis’ photography has not changed all that much over the years. I recently returned from a ten-day trip from Albuquerque to Phoenix with a group that included two Pueblos (from Acoma and Laguna) two Navajo and one Gila River (AZ) tribal member who shared Southwest history from their perspective as we travelled from place to place and met with many other native people along the way. This poem was one of several I wrote along the way. It was the easiest to write and the easiest to share. Reply
C.B. Anderson May 18, 2023 You just keep getting better, James, and I think you know it. You showed me a canyon I’ve never been to, and I am mighty happy that I tagged along. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant May 18, 2023 James, this is a truly beautiful sonnet that taps into the spirit of the land with respect and rapture in equal measure – ‘Canyon de Chelly’ is a wonderful and admirable poem. The landscape is breathtaking… I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time in 2016, and the ghosts of history whispered to me as a dust devil rose before me… I’ll never forget it. Reply
Corey Jackson June 12, 2023 Your sonnet beautifully captures the kindred spiritual resonance between the native ruins and the Ancient Ones of the Canyon de Chelly. Its robust lively imagery of pine and sage, ravens, Coyote and owl brings forth memories of other native North American lands that harbor spirits from our past. Reply
