Cloud beings come laughing, comical,
Aanakwadoog bidaapiwag, wawiyadenimwaad,
They come singing through the clouds:
Biidnagamowaad, zhiibaanakwad
morning white clouds, a good color.
Minowaabishkaanakwad bidaabanong.
Springtime is a comedy.
Ziigwan gagiibaadaatesemagad.
Cloud beings come telling news,
Aanakwadoog biidaajimowag,
clouds come as wind from a certain place.
ondaanimaanakwad.
Cloud beings come to sit comfortably,
Aanakwadoog biindigewag, minwabiwaad,
companion
wiijii’iwewaad,
in Summer.
niibinong.
Red clouds come, colored a certain way:
Biidaanakwadoog, miskwaazhe.
copper coins, hot coals, they come with a light.
miskwaabikizhooniyaansag,
gizhokakanzhean,
biidaazakwanenjigewaad.
Fall dark clouds come into view.
Makadeyaanakwad binaagwad daagwaaging.
They come in anger, storm clouds,
Biijigidaazowag, zegaanakwadoog,
a ball-headed club, a war club, coal again, coffee.
biwaakwado-bagamaagan, bagamaagan,
kakanzhean miinawaa,
makademashkikiwaaboo.
Winter comes, contests annually.
Biboon bakinaage apane.
This is a poemeo animated by Jonathan Thunder, written in English by Heid E. Erdrich, translated to the Ojibwe language by Margaret Noodin. It is best experienced here: movingpoems.com/2016/09/it-was-cloudy-aabjitoikidowinan-2-used-words-2-by-heid-e-erdrich/
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