Open Poetry #46 |
Thanksgiviing - The National Day of Mourning |
Abe Senior Member
since 2003-05-28
Posts 694Looks like Vero Beach, FL until the end! |
THE NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING (or "THE AMERICAN WAY", from my book, "Of Native American") For some it’s a Day of Thanks And for some a Day to Mourn With those conflicting stories Of how Thanksgiving was born. Some say a friendly gathering Of Pilgrims and the Indians People from a far off Land And the real Americans. We may never know for sure The true account of History But there are no doubts today Of what has come to be. The Native’s rights were taken And, "Land of the Free" became a lie Reservations became a prison Where the "Red Man" was sent to die. Treaties were written and broken And still are until this day Especially when the Indian Might get in the White Man’s way. So now some gather ‘round a figure Overlooking Plymouth Rock At a statue of Massasoit Where the Wampanoag can talk. Of a "National Day Of Mourning" For an unrecognized Nation How that could happen to a People Boggles the imagination. But, maybe someday in the future There will be a true Thanksgiving Day And one more wrong will be righted For isn’t that, "The American Way"? Del "Abe" Jones Mankind's greatest accomplishment is not the revolution of technology, it is the evolution of creativity. copyright 1984 More poet |
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© Copyright 2010 Del - All Rights Reserved | |||
JerryPat Senior Member
since 2010-10-30
Posts 1991Louisiana/America |
Unhappy Thanksgiving. |
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Andrew Scott Member Elite
since 1999-06-24
Posts 2558Redlands,CA,USA |
An unfortunate contradiction of views. I often wonder what the world would be like had the Indians invaded Europe and taken over. What if technology and immunity had been on the side of the Native American's, how would have history changed? "We'll chase them like rats across the tundra." |
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easy1 Senior Member
since 2010-05-22
Posts 1209Southeastern USA |
A well-written poem, a world view of interest, and I know many aboriginal "Americans" were treated very harshly, although there were massacres and atrocities committed on both sides over the years. Yeah, the story of the first Thanksgiving is disputable, and dumbed-down versions have the ring of fairy tale to them, but it is a day of thanksgiving nevertheless, primarily (for most) to the Almighty Creator. Even for those of pre-Columbian ancestry here there are things to be thankful for. |
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