The Sickness In My Heart

There is a sickness in my heart It began a long time ago With three evil spirits that came out of the sea From the land of the rising sun Quietly floating on three great canoes. The mother and her twin daughters Santa Maria was the mother's name She who claimed to have birthed the Great Spirit For she was the spirit of pride Who laid claim to whatever she touched. One daughter was the spirit of greed She had two faces and both had two tongues Pinta was her name She birthed the iron horse that bellowed black smoke That cut the land into pieces And swallowed whole the buffalo herds Spreading the spotted death as it went. Her other daughter was the spirit of hate She looked harmless but killed with thunder Nina was her name Poison sprang from her breasts Fire mixed with water That which mimics courage but steals the soul She came seducing and destroying all she could. They entered the land and made her sick And then the people became sick Then the plants and animals became sick Then the water and the air became sick Many were rubbed out The rest are sick and dying. There is a sickness in my heart It began a long time ago With three evil spirits that entered into the land They rode upon a pale horse And his face is white as death. Timothy I. Brumley For my Grandmother's people the Seminole Nation