50 State Tour: Montana

Happy July 4! We're heading to Annapolis, MD to watch my son march in the city's parade. And have ice cream (great ice cream shops in Annapolis).

To help celebrate, let's visit the 41st entry in our tour of the 50 state poets laureate -- Montana. Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress, was from the Treasure State. You can learn about her and other famous Montanans at Montana Kids.

Many well-known Native American leaders and writers were born in Montana. One of them is state poet laureate Henry Real Bird, whose primary language is Crow. He is a lifelong educator (currently teaching grades K, 4 and 6 at a tribal school) and a cowboy poet.

So many of us feel connected to our regional landscape. On our country's birthday, it's good to stop and honor that connection, to remember how much we value the physical United States.

Here is Henry Real Bird's poem, "Red Scarf," which honors the beauty of the American West. I loved the gentle musicality of this poem. Hope you enjoy and think of "Red Scarf" while you're watching fireworks tonight.

RED SCARF

Boots and chinks
Silver bit and silver spurs
Eased into the dawn
To walk out kinks
Horse like shiny, free of burrs
Trotted into day
I’m ridin’ bay
If you can see the beauty
In the sunset with many colors
I only see the beauty in the sunrise with many colors
You can find me
In the beauty in the sky
In sunrise and sunset
In the shadow of the sky
Among the stars
If you can see the beauty, in the sky
You can find me, in your eye
With a red scarf on
Boots and chinks
Here I am, I’m ridin’ gone
Ground about day
Lookin’ for a stray
Red-tail hawk blessed me with his shadow
Clouds peak to my south
Granite to the west
Sheep Mountains and the Pryors
Look their best

Read the rest of the poem at Henry Real Bird's website. Scroll down -- it's the third poem.

May a red-tail hawk bless you with his shadow today.