The Buffalo
THE BUFFALO
by
JOHN M. ARRIBAS
THERE WAS A TIME I ROAMED THESE PLAINS
FAR BEYOND WHERE THE EYE CAN SEE
IF YOU LIVED ON THESE PLAINS
YOU HAD TO DEPEND AND FOLLOW ME
IF YOU WANTED QUALITY MEAT TO EAT
GRASS FED AND IN GREAT QUANTITY
IF YOU WANTED FURS AND PELTS TO WEAR
TO KEEP THE COLD FROM THEE
IF YOU WANTED FUEL FOR A COUNCIL FIRE
OR TO WARM A SIMPLE TIPI
IF YOU WANTED A SOLID PEACE PIPE
TO GAIN A FRIEND FROM AN OLD ENEMY
IF YOU WANTED THE SPIRITS TO SMILE
SPREAD BLESSINGS ON THE COMMUNITY
IF YOU WANTED BONES FOR TOOLS
YOU HAD TO DEPEND AND FOLLOW ME
I WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO OFFER FEED
YOU ONLY TOOK TO MEET YOUR NEED
A BALANCED EXISTENCE FOR ALL TO SHARE
YET OMINOUS FORCES WERE IN THE AIR
THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT IN FULL GEAR
COULD NOT COEXIST WITH THE TRIBESMEN HERE
AN DIABOLICAL PLAN WAS PUT INTO ACTION
CORRAL AND CONTROL THE INDIGENOUS FACTION
THE BUFFALO WAS THE MAIN SOURCE OF ALIMENTATION
ELIMINATE THE SOURCE CAUSE WIDESPREAD STARVATION
RAILROADS HIRED THE BEST SHOOTERS IN THE LAND
SLAUGHTER THE BUFFALOS WHERE EVER THEY STAND
BUFFALOS WERE SLAIN FROM A COWARDLY DISTANCE
THE TRIBES FOUGHT AND OFFERED FIERCE RESISTENCE
BUFFALO(2)
FINALLY DOMINATED BY AN OVERWHELMING FORCE
THE TRIBES WERE COERCED TO A PEACEFUL DISCOURSE
DEPRIVED OF FOOD AND MANY FACING STARVATION
TRIBES AGREED TO STAY AND LIVE ON A RESERVATION
THE RESERVATION SITES THE GOVERNMENT SELECTED
WERE HARSH AND BARREN THE TRIBES FULLY REJECTED
FOR NUMEROUS YEARS THE PLAINS LAY UNPROTECTED
BUT IN THE END THE TRIBES WERE SUBJECTED
THE SHAMANS INVOKED THE SPIRITS WANTING TO KNOW
IF THE TRIBES WOULD SEE A RETURN OF THE WHITE BUFFALO
THE BUFFALO WAS SACRED AND SPIRITUALLY POSSESSED
ITS VERY EXISTENCE KEPT THE VILLAGES BLESSED
THE BUFFALO VANISHED FROM THESE ENDLESS PLAINS
BUT AWAITING HIS RETURN IS THE HOPE THAT REMAINS
THERE WERE FIFTY MILLION BUFFALO NOT LONG AGO
AN IMMORAL SLAUGHTERING LEFT LESS A MILLION OR SO
THE TRIBESMEN AWAIT THE BIRTH OF THE WHITE CALF
TO BRIGHTEN THEIR LIVES CAUSE THE CHILDREN TO LAUGH
THE WHITE BUFFALO HAS RETURNED TO THE TRIBES OF THE EAST
THEIR LAND ONCE UNUSED IS A PLACE NOW WHERE MANY FEAST
MODERN STRUCTURES NOW OCCUPY TRIBAL LANDS
WHERE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DAILY CHANGE HANDS
THE WHITE BUFFALO HAS RETURNED AS A GOLDEN PALOMINO
ENRICHING THE TRIBES WITH A GOLD MINE CASINO
THE TRIBES OF THE PLAINS WHERE THE BUFFALO ONCE ROAMED
MOST LIVE IN ABJECT POVERTY, THE SLAUGHTER HAD SOWN
ON THE PLAINS THE WINDS ARE SIGNALING UNREST
THE RETURN OF THE HERDS IS THE SIMPLE REQUEST
THOSE HERDS ARE GONE NEVER MORE TO OCCUPY THE LAND
THE HOUR GLASS IS EMPTY THERE IS NO MORE SAND
Copyright © John Arribas | Year Posted 2015
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