Wild Truth
By
Lisa A.Williams
The downward curve
of a smile-
A lie being born
of a twisted tongue
Who tells no truth-
which grew cold
in the silence of their eyes.
Taking what was theirs-
Navajo, Cherokee, Mohican…..
endless names of those
who honored The Great Spirit.
Culture, history, lives
erased
Souls-
tumbleweeds
lost in fields of fire.
Bare feet dancing
to old blood born chants-
Feet remember as they beat
like drums on reservation linoleum.
Smile can hide a truth , but it will come out someday or the other day,..
ReplyDeleteClever... the notion of "wild Indians" and what was taken from them, told to them, promised them. You weave the truth from a thoughtful perspective. I like this, Lisa.
ReplyDeleteReally like how you wove the truth by reminding us of the ways of one of the worst times in American History, and why and how it came about.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/distillation-of-truth/
There definitely is something to be said for these old (and often forgotten) truths!
ReplyDeleteThe last line, Lisa, made me cringe, because it's the most blatant truth I've read on the prompt. Linoleum. What an insult to a people who never did anything to deserve it. Eurocentrism in America is not an oxymoron... we still think Empire rather than Empathy.
ReplyDeleteBrill. Peace, Amy
With full of deep truths........
ReplyDeleteI loved the way you have depicted certain facets of history here. So much is said and done in the name of the truth far away from it!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother grew up on a reservation so this has a very deep personal meaning for me, beautifully expressed
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteI really like your unique poem for the prompt. The attempts to hide, deny and erase the truth of culture, is a dreadful action. I am aware of the native Indian culture, which has been lost in many areas; but also the culture in my own birth place in Northern Ireland.
I have been to see and visit many Reservation areas in America and shocked at the poverty and sadness which was real.
Eileen
Thank you for all your vists and comments at my Blogs:)
Wonderful
ReplyDeleteZQ
Love the way you describe a lie. Love the imagery in the last verse - I could see that clearly.
ReplyDelete