I know this man from Old Crow
Who’s a kind and gentle soul.
He was raised by his Didoo
She taught him all that she knew.
This man is Allan Benjamin
And he keeps his fiddle jammin’.
When he’s not busy doing that,
He’s doing up his snowshoe strap.
He’s won many snowshoe races
With ptarmigan feet on the laces.
If you ever lived here, you would see
How Allan helps others for free.
His Uncle Victor never needs wood
Because Allan makes sure he is good.
I never hear Allan raise his voice
Because he likes to maintain his poise.
That is not all I have to say,
I only just made it halfway.
Allan is also the master
Of bringing people some laughter.
And you cannot help but grin
When you see Allan walk in,
Because he’s got something new
That’s funny to share with you.
His music is out on CD
And they publish his poetry.
He creates his own cartoons, too.
He calls them Didee and Didoo.
Not only is Allan so clever,
He can also tell you the weather.
When you come to Old Crow on the plane,
He is there reading the weather vain.
Allan is proud of his heritage
Cuz I see him learning his language.
He is a Vuntut Gwitchin Native
Who is really, really creative.
A good friend and inventor, too,
He created a good snowshoe.
I hope he makes it really far,
But at home he’s already a star.
(Ed. Note: Allan Benjamin has asked Old Crow youth to try some poems in his Didee/Didoo space.)