An Indian Prayer

My grandfather is the fire
My grandmother is the wind
The Earth is my mother
The Great Spirit is my father.

The World stopped at my birth
and laid itself at my feet.

And I shall swallow the Earth whole
when I die
and the Earth and I will be one.

Hail The Great Spirit, my father
without him no one could exist
because there would be no will to live.

Hail The Earth, my mother
without which no food could be grown
and so cause the will to live to starve.

Hail the wind, my grandmother
for she brings loving, lifegiving rain
nourishing us as she nourishes our crops.

Hail the fire, my grandfather
for the light, the warmth, the comfort he brings
without which we be animals, not men.

Hail my parent and grandparents
without which
not I
not you
not anyone else
could have existed.

Life gives life
which gives unto itself
a promise of new life.

Hail the Great Spirit, The Earth, The Wind, The Fire
praise my parents loudly
for they are your parents, too.

Oh, Great Spirit, giver of my life
please acept this humble offering of prayer
this offering of praise.

By: H. Kent Craig