RANDOM JACK POETRY HOUR: INDIAN HISTORY
Washita River
Black
Kettle remembers the day
The blue
coats came to Sand Creek
He
remembers holding the white flag
Of peace
that the government said
Would
protect his tribe
He
remembers the thunder of hooves
The
onslaught of gunfire
The
plunging of bayonets and knives
He
remembers trails of blood that ran
From the
camp to the creek
He
remembers the cry of women and children
He
remembers Medicine Woman Later
By his
side as they rushed to cover
He
remembers surviving to witness
The scene
of bloody carnage
Through
the reeds by the creek
He
remembers the soldiers
Cutting
body parts from his people
To become
trophies and curiosities
He survives
to tell the story
The blue
coats said it was a mistake
It could
not happen again
The
survivors moved to Indian Territory
And
settled by the Washita River
The blue
coats gave him a white flag
That he
buried in remembrance
Of those he
buried as Sand Creek
They swore
it would not happen again
It is
daybreak under clear skies
When he
hears the thunder of horses
With their
pounding iron hooves
A sound he
has heard before
He looks
to Medicine Woman Later
And knows
that she knows
Together
they sing their death songs
And take
comfort in knowing
They will
not witness the scene again
Their
blood marks a trail to Washita River
Where they
leave behind a curse
The white
eyes will never forget
What their
blue coats did this day
(The
Washita River Massacre:
November
27, 1868)
