There is NO Word for GOODBYE
By: Mary Tall Mountain
Mary Tall Mountain
"Her poetry is a permanent testament to the rich tapestry of experience that was her life." Bill Moyers
Format of Poem
There Is NO Word For GOODBYE
Sokoya, I said, looking through
the net of wrinkles into
wise black pools
of her eyes.
What do you say in Athabascan
when you leave each other?
What is the word
for goodbye?
A shade of feeling rippled
the wind-tanned skin.
Ah, nothing, she said,
watching the river flash.
She looked at me close.
We just say, Tlaa. That means,
See you.
We never leave each other.
When does your mouth
say goodbye to your heart?
She touched me light
as a bluebell.
You forget when you leave us;
you're so small then.
We don't use that word.
We always think you're coming back,
but if you don't,
we'll see you some place else.
You understand.
There is no word for goodbye.
Sokoya: Aunt (mother's sister)
Tlaa: See you
Inside the Poem
Sokoya, I said, looking through the net of wrinkles into wise black pools of her eyes.
Sokoya means aunt. "The net of wrinkles into wise black pools," is a hyperbole (exaggeration for effect). This is saying that the girl is looking up into her aunts old and teary eyes. This emphasizes her aunts age and wisdom.
What do you say in Athabascan when you leave each other? What is the word for goodbye? Athabascan is a tribe of Native Americans from Central Alaska. The girl is asking her aunt for the word they use when you are leaving, a word like goodbye. A word in their native language, Athabascan.
A shade of feeling rippled the wind-tanned skin. Ah, nothing, she said, watching the river flash. "A shade of feeling," is a feeling that is slightly different from every other feeling you have. Her aunt is saying that there is not a word for goodbye in their language, referring to them not liking to use the word 'goodbye'.
She looked at me close. We just say, Tlaa. That means, See you. We never leave each other. When does your mouth say goodbye to your heart? Tlaa means 'see you'. "We never leave each other," is an allusion (an indirect reference to something) toward the fact that even if we aren't physically together, we will always be together in mind and spirit. Then she is asking "When does you mouth say goodbye to your heart?" If you think about this, it is highly unlikely that your body will be separated, so it is very unlikely that we will ever be apart from one another.
She touched me light as a bluebell. You forget when you leave us; you're so small then. We don't use that word. "Light as a bluebell," is a simile (figure of speech often comparing two unlike things) referring it to the gentleness her Sokoya's, her aunt's, touch. Her aunt is also saying that she is too young and won'e remember this. She is also repeating that they are not using goodbye.
We always think you're coming back, I but if you don't, we'll see you some place else. You understand. There is no word for goodbye. The aunt is saying that they are still hoping to see each other again sometime, but if they don't, they will see each other in Heaven. The title at the end sums up the poem and reminds us of the message; goodbyes are hard, so all we can do is wait and hope to see them again.