With audible breath of relief born of an exhausting day afoot, a Sissipahaw youth leans against a venerable Willow Oak. The wetland tree’s moss-grown surface roots, stately canopy and heaps of leaf litter strike said weary traveler as an affectionate invitation to take a breather. Broad beds of moss blanket the surroundings. Their soft radiance in the midwinter sunlight further encourages respite, as well as a few moments of reverie.
His tribe’s namesake the Haw River gurgles nearby with promises to guide him to downstream coastal villages. He and the People of the Haw are curious about rumors of strange, light-skinned people arriving in winged canoes at the shores of the great water expanse they know as sacred Mother of River Waters.
© Ilija Lukić 2024
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