Skybrush Warrior

... for a long ago friend..

Skybrush Warrior

 

I think of you often old friend; of sharing sweat lodge ceremonies cleansing us of too much death and preparing us for the Sun Dance on Iowan Plains. Our paths and journeys were always shared in wolf dreams and Owl flutters in the night sky. It always seemed we travelled in Rabbit Boy’s power and shared in our victory of Iktome’s defeat.

 

In the old, old, olden days when the earth was very young and we loved dancing under the moon, we would journey out from the village finding whatever story we could find. One time our moccasins took us very far, through sage brush and sweet grass plains; over hills that grew gently then down into the world of wildflowers and cold, clear streams. Tired and thirsty, we came to an ancient looking tree. It stood proudly, pointing to the sky, its deep roots drinking from a fast moving stream, its waters were see through cold crystal. We drank our fill and re-filled our deer skin bags, smoked our pipe in remembrance of this day. Since it was late we stayed to watch the moon rise and sang wolf songs to its fullness

 

Old Sky, my long ago friend, I miss these journeys. You always knew how to paint the sky with stars and make me laugh with tales of the foolish ways our wolf brothers would challenge that old grizzly bear down by Bison Head Rock. One day my brother I know I will see you again out on the open plains all decked out in your ceremonial buckskin white, face in war colors and your battle lance held high calling me to reach out again to touch the skies. A day when The People will once again hunt buffalo and set up our teepees next to the river’s edge and live as one nation in balance with our Mother, singing our songs and telling our stories. “As it was in the beginning, so it will be in the end”.

 

AztecWarrior/redzone  9.28.16   

Author's Note

....thanks for reading...
Skybrush was a wonderful friend who died several years ago and I wrote this after looking at some of his paintings... Miss you Dale...

Reviews

[Lyn Anderson]

While I am not familiar with Skybrush Warrior, you have painted a lovely picture here with your words. Friendship, and magic, and another world, brought to life.

[redzone]

thank you Kl, he was a kind and gentle soul... I know you would have enjoyed him, his humor, his poetry and paintings... he was just a good man... it was a very sad day when he passed...

[Lydia Shutter]

I remember Skybrush from the Starlite Cafe....and I remember how he inspired so many. You, Curt, paint the sky with stars. Your words are always filled with emotion and so honest. Each time you write, you pour your heart onto the screen for us to share. It's always a pleasure...and Skybrush lives on because of writers like you. Lydi**

[redzone]

I figured you knew him Lydi... in many ways he and Tess (his daughter) were the heart and soul of the old Starlite, before it was sold to profiteers and people who excused plagerism, and other bs... I knew him from before Starlite and it was actually he who invited me to post there back in early 2001...

anyway thanks Lydi, I am glad that I could capture with emotion some of who he was... cause he was the one who painted the sky with stars...

[Lydia Shutter]

Yes, he and Tess WERE Starlite....it's a shame what the site deteriorated into.

[redzone]

yes, a big shame... we lost something special there...

[costa siwale]

yeah, this is an incredible story, were i became part of the adventures. my knowledge of native American culture and stories was gained through film and literary works, and this is wonderful depiction.
*wish it would continue, perhaps a part 2*
well written Sir

[redzone]

thanks so much Costa, he was a good friend... glad you enjoyed this tribute... this is a part 2 of sorts I wrote a tribute and sent to his daughter that I also posted here... will send you a read request...
again thank you for your kind words...

[costa siwale]

no problem Mr Redzone, and i will be waiting.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

amazing tribute...and such a wonderful friendship that transcends the normal...something about the native american culture that is so enchanting and spiritual.

love it, Curt.

j.

[redzone]

Thanks Jacob... Skybrush (Dale H) was an amazing man I met on a now defunct poetry site back when I first started to surf the web.. we shared poetry, tall tales and challenged everyone to engage in the "fruit cake wars" and sit on his grandmothers porch drinking her home made iced tea... he often added his painting in his poems and he sent me many as well so I have a nice collection of his art... his daughter, also a poet lives in Fla and I was able to visit her and her husband for an afternoon... today I was looking through some old files and found some of his art nd so I wrote this poem... I am so glad you enjoyed it as I think you would have liked his as well..

[Ana Papaya]

Redzone, this was beautiful. I'm not sure what more to say.
I can feel the underlying longing to see/spend time once again, or one more time.
A lovely story that reads like an old legend or myth.

[redzone]

Ana, much thanks for your comment, he was a true friend and I think you would have liked him and his poetry.. (look at what I wrote in Jacob's comment for more detail if you wish)... he also had native American roots, as do I (though very small) and we often made up stories... it was a very sad day when he passed...

thanks Ana for your kind words, you said plenty and I appreciate

[barleygirl]

I very much long for the day when we all hunt buffalo once again . . . love your telling of this story in many of the beloved Native traditions & observations thru the eyes of you & your friend. It reminds me of many such stories I still long to tell. I'm so happy you had such a friend, even if he's crossed the rainbow bridge now. Beautiful tribute & gentle remembrances (((HUGS)))

[redzone]

he and I told many stories, wrote many poems and longed for there to be balance in the world and among the people... see what I wrote to Jacob if you want to know more about our friendship..

Margie, I hope that some day you will be able to tell those stories you long to tell I am sure many of us would love to read them.. I know I would...

thank you very much for you wonderful comment and for stopping by... big hugs to you

[barleygirl]

After reading your explanation on Jacob's review, I'm still a little uncertain if Skybrush was a person you met face-to-face!?!?! (If not, then I'm amazed for such an online friendship to thrive as yours did with him! So many are abandoned without explanation these days!)

[redzone]

Nevdr met Sky.. did meet his daughter Tess and her husband.. he bettled bravely for many years against hepititis gotton from a transfusion in the hospiital... he volunteered to be experimented on to test new drugs cause he was terminal.... wish i could have actually met him..

[barleygirl]

He sounds like a very strong person who acts out of gentleness, just like you (((HUGS)))

[redzone]

in many ways stronger, and much more peaceful... his poetry and painting helped calm him a grand daughter.. yep stronger than me...

thanks for saying so (((((Margie)))))