Columbus Day
I try to put myself in the shadows
with them
as they stand beneath the trees
at the edge of the beach,
naked
and brown, black eyes
watching
approaching sails as white as bone.
In our speech we have no word
for "sails,"
and bone has never risen
out of the horizon of water,
never,
except, perhaps, in
stories
or in dreams. But there! Look!
The bones collapse upon themselves.
The beast
has birthed a child into the sea,
and on its back rides ghost
or god.
It comes, and we murmur our
wonder
to each other in the shadows of the trees.
Neither ghost nor god he wades
ashore.
Covered with color that swirls
around him in the sea breeze,
a white
man stands upon the sands
and shouts
gibberish to something in his hands.
He thrusts a spear into the beach,
piercing
our heart with fear. Atop the spear
more wind-whipped color waves--
red, white--
white, red--and, unknown to us,
forfeit
were our lives and homes and futures.
with them
as they stand beneath the trees
at the edge of the beach,
naked
and brown, black eyes
watching
approaching sails as white as bone.
In our speech we have no word
for "sails,"
and bone has never risen
out of the horizon of water,
never,
except, perhaps, in
stories
or in dreams. But there! Look!
The bones collapse upon themselves.
The beast
has birthed a child into the sea,
and on its back rides ghost
or god.
It comes, and we murmur our
wonder
to each other in the shadows of the trees.
Neither ghost nor god he wades
ashore.
Covered with color that swirls
around him in the sea breeze,
a white
man stands upon the sands
and shouts
gibberish to something in his hands.
He thrusts a spear into the beach,
piercing
our heart with fear. Atop the spear
more wind-whipped color waves--
red, white--
white, red--and, unknown to us,
forfeit
were our lives and homes and futures.
posted by mac | 8:30 AM
4 Comments:
sad day for Native Americans.
Sad indeed, and still going on over 5 centuries later. Sioux reservation unemployment 80%, suicide amoung Indian teens 5 times the national average, federal mandates to keep Indians from passing their culture and languages down to their decendents. I believe whites of European decent (most of us) have a huge Karmic debt to pay. Pray for us all, especially the Native Americans.
Oh, I forgot to say what a great piece of writing. My favorite of the series so far. tough subject, handled with compassion and insight. High marks, Michael.
A great piece Michael, and for once it wasn't the British!
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