The Names (A Poem)

THE NAMES
By Laura Tohe

Lou Hon,
Suzie,
Cherry,
Doughnut,
Woody,
Wabbit,
Jackie,
Rena Mae,
Zonnie,
Sena,
Verna,
Grace,
Seline,
Carilene

"Virginia Spears," the Alegebra teacher calls roll
(Her name is Speans)
And Virgie winces and raises her hand.
"Here." Soft voice
She never corrects the teachers.

"Leonard T-sosie."
(His name is Tsosie.) Silent first letter as in
ptomaine,
Ptolemy.
Silent as in never asking questions.
Another hand from the back goes up. No voice.

"Mary Lou Yazzy.
Are you related to Thomas Yazzy?"
Yazzie is a common Navajo name,
like Smith or Jones.
She rhymes it with jazzy and snazzy.
Mary Lou with puzzled expression, "No."
"Oh, I thought you might be. He's quiet too."

I start to tense up because I'm next
with my name that sticks out
like her sensible black high heeled lace-ups,
clap, clap, clap down the hall.
"Laura Toe."
And I start to sink,
to dread hearing it on the bus tossed around
like kids playing keep-away.

Suddenly we are immigrants,
waiting for names that obliterate the past.
Tohe, from T'ohii means Towards Water.
Tsosie. Ts'osi means Slender.
And Yazzy, from Yazhi,
means Beloved Little One/Son.

The teacher closes the book and
we are little checkmarks beside our names.

Roanhorse,
Fasthorse,
Bluehorse,
Yellowhorse,
Begay,
Deswod,
Niilwod,
Chee,
Atsidi,
Tapahonso,
Haabaah,
Hastiin Neez.