Good morning!
You may call me Ellie. I will be your guide today.
My Abenaki name is Lady Slipper.
This exhibit hall is circular,
in keeping with our tradition that all life is a circle.
I will show you moccasins and regalia,
dugout and birchbark canoes, wigwams, teepees.
Teach you to survive winter on acorns,
explain why life depends upon following the bison.
About my Abenaki name.
I come from a subfamily of orchids. We remain
adaptable to varied habitats.
(Imagine being told where you will live henceforth,
and assigned a different name.)
I have sedative properties,
efficacious against nervousness, muscle spasms,
even dental pain.
I am adept at putting museum visitors at ease.
Now if you’ll follow me…
Russell Rowland continues his trail work for the Lakes Region (NH) Conservation Trust, and his practice of writing a poem every day.
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