It is a story of my life in a poem. I felt a majority of our indigenous women could relate because of the alarming statistics of sexual violence and abuse. I feel healing every time I read the poem. It reminds me of all the stages and feelings I went through after I experienced years of sexual abuse and rape.

My innocence taken and the years of tears and shame and hurt to a point where my roots; my culture helped me rise up. Now I am a new person who experienced something no child should have to experience but I can help others to realize they are not alone and they too can dream and grow into a new wildflower.

I have shared this poem and my story with several youth groups and our native sisters in the SD Women’s Prison and hearing the powerful stories afterwards and requests for copies of the poem has been a blessing especially knowing that I am able to help others heal through these same words.

Like a wildflower.

So innocent and pure her first season in bloom. She breathes in the fresh air and dances with the sunrise; swims in the spring rain. So innocent and pure this Lakota wildflower.

Without warning she is torn away; roots barely intact. The darkness continues to slowly tear away her precious petals one by one until she is tossed aside to wilt with pain. She tries to hold on but the air is no longer fresh making it hard to breathe. The summer rain stings the open wounds.

She now dances with the sunset to hide the shame. So sad and alone this Lakota wildflower.

The cold settles in as her roots lay frozen in shock. She questions this pain and yearns for the innocence; her dances with the sunrise and swimming in the rain.

Her roots planted deep down tell her it is time to rise up; it’s a new season. She slowly takes in the sunlight and the rain and with a big breathe of air grew into a new wildflower; a Lakota wildflower!