Weaving and Quilting

My grandmother’s hands wove the cedar and bear grass
Into this fine basket I hold in my hands
To hold bitter roots, camas, fern, tiger lily
Blackberries, cranberries — gifts from the land
My great-grandma Towsalee passed on her knowledge
To her daughter Sally — she was only six then
Our tribes own designs such as Salmon Gill, Trail of Eel,
Flowers for women and deer for the men
My grandmother’s hands worked with bright colored fabrics
Taken from dresses I wore long ago
With strong cotton thread and the finest of needles
Weaving my memories in patterns she’d sew
My great grandma Eleanor passed on her knowledge
To her daughter Susan when she was just nine
Lone Star, Log Cabin, the sweet Rose of Sharon
Basket, Medallion — her favorite designs