The Eagle
I am the first to soar with the dawn.
“Miye tokaheya anpetu owakinye.”

We are all eagles. We each have the power to soar and see the light of a new day. There is a Lakota story of the great flood that destroyed the world. In this story there was only one survivor, a woman. She was rescued by an eagle. Together they soared above all the waters to the safety of the great Tree of Life. Then they waited there until the flood waters receded. From these two came descendants who repopulated the world. These new peoples moved to the four corners of the world. It was foretold that some day the descendants would meet, and they would all return to the center.

For many generations the descendants fought and argued among themselves. They fought because they could only see their differences. But, in the future, a generation would appear who would open their eyes, look beyond all the differences of skin color, and see the spirit of the eagle soaring in each and every heart. Then they would be able to soar out of this darkness into the light and see the dawn of the new day.

Kevin’s eagle song is about an eagle in the darkest part of the night. The eagle is compelled to fly up and out of the darkness. It flies so high, looking to the East, that it sees the morning star rising out of the darkness. It flies even higher until the light spreads over all the earth, and the eagle calls joyfully, “I am the first to soar with the dawn.”

The song is dedicated to each of us because we have wings to soar out beyond ignorance, prejudice and hatred. Become like eagles. Become noble. Do great things as you soar out over this world.