‘White Wolf, Black Wolf: A Cherokee Story’ and Other Poetry by Dusty Grein

White Wolf, Black Wolf: A Cherokee Story

A trijan refrain

Inside you lives a wolf of white—
of patience, peace and love.
He is forgiveness, hope and light;
a blessing from above.
This wolf of white the world will see
through all the good he brings to thee.
_____This wolf of white,
_____this wolf of white,
his gifts will set your spirit free.

A wolf of black, as dark as night
lives next to him inside.
He’s hatred, rage, cruelty, fright,
intolerance and pride.
This wolf of black the world will see
through evil actions, evil deeds.
_____This wolf of black,
_____this wolf of black,
his teeth will make your spirit bleed.

Within your soul, the two wolves fight
to see which one will give
directions and will win the right
to show you how to live.
Which one will win the fight? We need
to pay attention; pay close heed!
_____Which one will win?
_____Which one will win
depends upon which one we feed.

You’re Sixteen Today

A sonnet corona in iambic pentameter for Jazzmyn

My child, look around. This is your time.
Your journey to adulthood has begun
but not alone – I’ll help you walk that line.
In my poor dreary world, you are the sun.
Slow down a bit and look for warning signs.
Sometimes in life you’ll need to walk not run,
but never stop. Keep moving all the time
and never hesitate to have some fun.
I’ve tried, as you have grown, to teach you things
and always be a member of your team;
Believe in flight, then boldly spread your wings.
Your childhood’s gone by faster than it seems,
but when they’re cut, love, know I’ll keep the strings.
Have faith, sweet girl, and go after your dreams.

Have faith, sweet girl, and go after your dreams.
Sometimes the best defense is to attack,
and oft times you’ll be paddling hard upstream.
When that’s the case, let nothing hold you back.
That love’s a mystery is well known fact.
Remember human hearts are not machines,
And broken hearts are actually still intact
So never let anyone steal your gleam.
Try not to let regret invade your soul –
A bigger waste of time you’ll never know.
If life throws you a curve, just tuck and roll.
You’ll have my love no matter where you go,
So don’t be scared to chase what’s in your soul,
If your muse calls to you, you must follow.

If your muse calls to you, you must follow.
There is no greater joy than letting art,
In one form or another through you flow;
It opens hidden places in your heart.
Your money is a tool, and not the prize,
So never sell your soul for wealth my love.
Remember words can cut someone to size
And send a daily prayer to God above.
Your character, in honesty shines through.
Please never be afraid to speak your mind
But know that sometimes silence is the truth.
One day, quite soon, you’ll look around and find
That time has flown right by you in your youth
My child, look around. This is your time.

Dusty Grein is an author, poet and graphics designer from Federal Way, Washington. He currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, where his 15 year old daughter is hard at work securing her college degree while still in high school, and raising him right. When he is not busy writing, he donates a great deal of his time and graphics talent. In honor of his grandson Eddy, lost to SIDS at 13 weeks old, he creates free memorial images for bereaved families, with a special focus on infant and pregnancy loss. His blog, From Grandpa’s Heart… is followed by fans around the world.