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MAHICAN
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MAHICAN |
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SPIRIT Senior Member
since 2002-12-29
Posts 1745California Desert |
MAHICAN I am Spirit, For hundreds of years I have been Spirit. The name of my birth Is unimportant, I am but Spirit. We lived well, by the clear liquid Of the tide ruled river banks, Where the waters were never still. The squaws of our villages planted the grounds, So vegetables were most abundant. The men hunted in deeply wooded areas, And meat was a great prize, as were the fish, Caught from the waters of our ever moving rivers. We were peaceful, and deeply spiritual. We lived in harmony, Forever praising the earth, for its bounties And for the generosity of Mother Nature. Thankfulness was a way of life, We honored and respected neighboring tribes, Living together in agreement and with a respect That unfortunately became non-existent. Everything changed when into our lives moved a new force, They were called Europeans, white men in strange clothes. Carrying fire-spitting weapons, they sought to take our fur, From the beaver, the otter and the mink. They called themselves traders. They brought with them deadly diseases And a liquid, poured from jugs, called alcohol, to drink. The latter created a craziness, that was frightening to behold. I died as a boy, From smallpox...a white man’s disease. It, and other ills, Killed thousands of unprotected natives. Young; old; weak or strong, Man; woman or child. The diseases, did not play favorites. We all became victims And I was one of the first to go. I was chosen to be Spirit, To follow and record the future of my people. You can hear me in the winds As I have followed the tribes Through centuries of unwanted changes. We have been called savages, by those who stole our lands And destroyed our peaceful existence. To the missionaries, we were heathens, Our fate was thus decided, Christianity was to be our Savior. Accordingly we lost ourselves In a New World we neither wanted And most certainly never agreed to. Our culture, our past, our beliefs Were not understood by the strangers Who stole them from us with their domination. The wars of the white man, how they affected our lives. I am Spirit and I saw, but could not help. Our numbers greatly diminished By the deaths of so many.. The arrival of all these strangers, Their greed and un-feeling souls, Made us homeless. we were trekked, hustled Like sheep, to living quarters called reservations. To live like no white man, would be willing to live. Our native tongue, our own language Gradually disappeared, was not passed down From generation to generation any longer. We appeared to be no more Who we had been born....to be. I am Spirit For hundreds of years I have roamed this earth Following the future, Recording the past Of my people. So many harsh, Unfair hard times. Yet I look with pride Down on my tribe As the people have become educated. I behold doctors, educators and attorneys, I see some degrees in the fine arts, I see a future that a hundred years or less ago I would not have deemed possible. I see honor and dignity intact, And I thank the Great Spirit And the Christian God Who I consider one and the same, For the blessings of my tribe. I am Spirit, I am well pleased. I be me BUT who does me be? |
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| © Copyright 2003 das - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Jason Lyle Senior Member
since 2003-02-07
Posts 1438With my darkling |
Wow you can throw some long ones, loved the story, loved the history, loved the write. Jason |
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Flower Member
since 2003-03-15
Posts 240California |
Interesting! Your theme lately seems to be 'Native American'. Could have used this piece when I was in school. Love reading all these great writes. |
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Trillium 
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
SPIRIT: This is monumental! A truly wonderful write. What you have written about one tribe, was repeated in every tribe existing. Very sad commentary and yet, as you so deftly point out, some good did utlimately come out of the agony! Betty Lou Hebert |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Dinah, some day remind me to tell you of 1984...this - is wonderful. It brought back some great memories! |
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Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
Dinah I love your Native American poetry. There is something so noble and heart breaking about their history. You did a magnificent job on this one. Love, Joyce |
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SPIRIT Senior Member
since 2002-12-29
Posts 1745California Desert |
I really appreciate the comments - thank you very much. |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
SPIRIT: I had to come back and read this again tonight. It made such an impression on me and I would like to print it out for my files if it's all right? It should be published. Have you tried to find a publisher? Betty Lou Hebert |
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SPIRIT Senior Member
since 2002-12-29
Posts 1745California Desert |
Surely you can print it out, I only wrote it yesteday afternoon. |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
SPIRIT~ 'I was chosen to be Spirit, To follow and record the future of my people.' I soooooooo enjoyed the read~ Those so 'Spirited' are blessed, indeed ! *Huglets* ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ |
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lorenlynn Member
since 2003-01-27
Posts 203California Beaches |
Spirit ,my friend. I wonder where you come from? Your past life is this the tale? You write with so much wisdom as if you were there. That is the true talent of a great writer. Well done my Indian friend , you have a heart , true and wise and that is why I love to read your work. |
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