To survive, the weak must feed on the hearts of the strong.
Nothing lives long . . . only the earth and mountains.
Dee Brown (1908-2002) was an American novelist and historian. Published in 1970, his most famous publication was the book, BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE. It detailed the history of western expansion in the United States through the eyes of the Native Americans.
Virgin prairie
Endless grassy sea
Fertile, untouched
Living always free
Nature’s preserve
Blessed grassy sea
Native people
Worship what they see
Gift forever
Treasured grassy sea
Timeless, precious
Mother Earth agrees
Standing knee high
Faithful grassy sea
Glory days sing
Praises fill with glee
Man’s encroachment
Constant grassy sea
Days now numbered
Earth makes her plea
Plowing under
Cherished grassy sea
Another farm
Way of life now flees
Forever gone
Priceless grassy sea
Winds of time change
What should always be
Pockets remain
Endless grassy sea
Memories breathe
Yesterday foresees
His warrior image endures over the years
Witnessing a proud life, without any fears
His Native American culture continues to live on
Keeping rich and spiritual memories, never gone
Life’s simple ways will always shine bright
Displaying warrior bravery at every sight
Man and horse unite together as one
Riding his pony into the setting sun
Fierce in battle, defending his vast land
Adding to his legend, he does all he can
Younger men look up to him and follow in battle
Counting coup, his bravery becomes his mantel
This storied warrior transitions to an old man
Looking back proudly, honoring his last stand
His weathered face reveals a mighty, brave past
Lighting up eyes, with proud memories that last
The buffalo have disappeared for good
Ending a way of life, once proudly stood
Many of the old traditions are now gone
Reliving them through legend and song
The old warrior passes down past tribal history
Teaching a new generation, his ancient journey
The warrior no longer meets foes in battle today
Remembering his legacy, forever proud to say
Photo by Marcus Pinho on Pexels.com
His warrior image endures over the years
Witnessing a proud life, without any fears
His Native American culture continues to live on
Keeping rich and spiritual memories, never gone
Life’s simple ways will always shine bright
Displaying warrior bravery at every sight
Man and horse unite together as one
Riding his pony into the setting sun
Fierce in battle, defending his vast land
Adding to his legend, he does all he can
Younger men look up to him and follow in battle
Counting coup, his bravery becomes his mantel
This storied warrior transitions to an old man
Looking back proudly, honoring his last stand
His weathered face reveals a mighty, brave past
Lighting up eyes, with proud memories that last
The buffalo have disappeared for good
Ending a way of life, once proudly stood
Many of the old traditions are now gone
Reliving them through legend and song
The old warrior passes down past tribal history
Teaching a new generation, his ancient journey
The warrior no longer meets foes in battle today
Remembering his legacy, forever proud to say
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com
Montana is home to seven Native American reservations: Flathead, Blackfeet, Crow, Cheyenne, Fort Peck, Rocky Boy, and Fort Belknap. Across the United States, these proud people make up a “quiet” minority, often forgotten in the mainstream of the American way of life. Here are two previously published poems about Native Americans:
One can hear a distant drum beating as Native American culture faces an neverending onslaught upon their way of life. It all begins in 1607 with the settlement of the Jamestown colony. Listen closely, do you hear . . .
Photo by Darcy Delia on Pexels.com
A distant beating drum . . .
Europeans sail to a pristine land
Fixated with ways of the Red Man
Ignoring these Native Americans
They push inland because they can
A distant beating drum . . .
Wealth and greed motivate the White Man
Appropriating riches found by his hands
Native Americans outnumber these men
Unaware of the many more to be sent
A distant beating drum . . .
Native Americans trade land for peace
Hoping the greed and violence will cease
A new American culture lusts for more
Their hunger for more continues to soar
A distant beating drum . . .
Slowly Native Americans sadly retreat
Heartbroken, their culture faces defeat
Maintaining their language and traditions
Now experiencing life with new conditions
Where has the silent beating drum gone?
Photo by Artem Beliaikin @belart84 on Pexels.com
Native American culture struggles to hold on to its footprint of life in today’s world. In Maryland, the Choptank nation long ago assimilated into the European-based culture. Out West, a system of reservations have failed to provide a stable way of life. The lands set aside in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Oklahoma have created a setting for poverty and a lack of sufficient opportunities for the Native people.
If you enjoyed reading this poem and hunger for more about Native American history and the life out West, feel free to check out these previously published poems.
An outdoor mural captures the heroism of Native American warriors
On a sunny, blistering hot June day and hour
Two cultures collide in an epic that now towers
White, European culture ever advances to take
Native American culture realizes what’s at stake
America’s first citizens reside as native born
Now witnessing their way of life being torn
The Little Bighorn River provides a place for rest
Nestled in a large village are warriors, the best
Journeying into the Montana Territory for a cause
U.S. Calvary relentlessly travels without a pause
Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho await
The brave soldiers never realize their final fate
Lakota spiritual leader Sitting Bull envisions all
“Thick as grasshoppers” come soldiers to fall
The 7th Calvary invades the stream called Greasy Grass
Led by Lieutenant Colonel Custer, many die much too fast
Crazy Horse and Gall command warriors in this feat
Annihilating most of Custer’s troops in total defeat
The marker at the lower right identifies where Lt. Colonel George Custer fell during the battle. His remains are interred at West Point.
The coalition of Native Americans wins today
Bringing honor to warriors with much to say
The great Sioux nation wins this final showdown
But their way of life will enter its final sundown
A collision of cultures—Native and White
Today, there is no reason to ever fight
The human rights of the Native Americans still blaze
Working to preserve a culture without further decay
Little Bighorn Battlefield is located in Montana about an hour’s drive from Billings on Interstate 90. The pictures shown were taken at the battlefield site a few years ago.
If you are interested in reading more about Montana, check out these previous posts:
Visit the Magic City (Billings, Montana)
Photo Gallery (includes numerous photographs of Montana as well as Ohio)
Big Sky Buckeye 