Best Native Americanred Poems
A warrior by nature as summer grew in sultry heat,
I sweated with desire to count coup on the first foe I beat,
Swear by my breech clout I would grapple in hand to hand assault,
Toss and turn this Ute in mortal combat before I halt;
Or steal his associate to my ultra joy and his dread,
Add another feather to my cap seeking it shows red,
Along the Tipi fire I see a shadow stir the soup,
Keenly attempt to pull off a red color feather coup;
Enter slyly to put my first feather to the systole,
In the confounded move I flounder to breath down her taught mole,
Duel precipitates in raw battle weary raptures,
Surrenders to roll within my bison hide captures;
Victorious I swell with sensuous pride and forget to scout,
No witness on sight says the chieftain with power he flouts,
Cheats as he sequesters her away from me in his clout
I am left with out my prize and the red feather he touts.
Where once the Seventh Cavalry heroically stood its ground,
Winter winds now moan o'er the desolate Montana battleground.
Drifting snows blanket the horse soldiers' lonely graves.
They were out-fought by Crazy Horse and his determined braves!
After decades of broken treaties, recrimination and hate,
The Red Man's frustrations were culminated on that fateful date.
Many moons have passed since they clashed in mortal strife,
That forever changed the Native American way of life.
A marble stone marks where each trooper that day was slain.
A stark, lonely memorial on that ghostly, windswept plain.
They now sleep together 'neath a monument grand and tall,
Awaiting the rallying 'CHARGE!" of Gabriel's bugle call!
Perhaps if their pompous commander had been less rash,
Gallant cavalrymen might have survived that bitter clash.
But such was his zeal for national glory and fame,
That he heaped upon himself everlasting shame!
Tho' the Bighorn Battle brought a modicum of peace,
Alas, the harassment of the Red Man did not cease.
They scattered, their plight not worth pursuing anymore.
The Red Man won the battle, but alas, he lost the war.
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)