They Came

They came to us slowly in ones and twos at first. They were men with good hearts and lived with earth as one; Lived as we live, one with the four legged, two legged – all the spirits of our world They brought many things to trade; knives of iron, that our women treasure, Thunder sticks that kill from further that an arrow can fly. They brought cloth of bright colors that our women sew into clothes for us. They brought sugar and tea to change our diet of buffalo and berries Then more came. They came with bad hearts. They brought firewater. Our minds were as dizzy as our steps and the earth danced before our eyes. The black robes came and gave us their religion. Strange since they do not practice his teachings. They brought the spotted sickness that kills our people. They came and killed the buffalo and left the bodies to rot on the earth. They came like a swarm of insects, devouring everything in their path. They came and took our land and gave us heartbreak. The sacred hoop is broken And I cannot go home… Copyright 2002