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
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