Elegy Poem Format and a Eulogy

Authors photo above of my sister Carrie.

Elegy:

Carrie Anne Marie Estey (Ortiz aka: Cameo)

She was a well-known artist,

painter and sculptress.

So loved and missed

by so many, why was she dismissed?

Eulogy:

My sister Carrie was an artist and she gave it her all until the end. She died from Leukemia in 2010.

She was a good sister and a better mom, and grandmother and she loved her brothers.

She loved us all, everyone, each and every day. She adopted loved ones along the way.

She married the love of her life and even though there were struggles from day to day she loved him all the way. But hey, who doesn't struggle some?

She worked in all types of art medium. With little to no tedium.

Her favorite was bringing back woodland pottery to our reservations, without any hesitation she knew what to do.

She was a sculptress and could make a jingle dress. We made Indian dolls one year and by golly, she was a doll herself.

My baby sister was sure to remind everyone she could find to listen too. I sure am missing her today. She always knew what to do.

One day I was struggling with a job and she said, "Spit before going in and brush your shoulders off when you come out!". That was about the best thing ever as it was something that would help me forever with other struggles in this life.

When we would jingle dress dance together, she would always remind me to gather up and put medicine in my moccasins and to remember they are healing dresses, and wearing them meant we were doing our very best to help our people.

Bear clan is who we are and healing is part of the plan.

Our mom was the bomb, always knew much about medicine even though she didn't always follow what she knew as most of us would do.

Carrie was always sure of what she knew and told me all matter of fact what to do. She said once it's important to know our family can name our own, and do the ritual and ceremony we will need.

There are culture experts that will say nay nay, you know not what you say. Our creator told us what to do and it is important that we do boo.

Miigwetch sister for always being there for me. I try to be there for yours but I will never be like you as no one can. Love you Carrie Anne.