Eagle Remembers

[MikelFirewalker]

Great Spirit has said
the soul of Eagle runs red
and he sees very far
remembering his own

the high land
the shimmering sky land
has ever been home

from beginning of time
we all know
it is there he has flown

his sisters and brothers
of the two-legged kind
ranged happily far below

they honored the skies
and cared for the seas
respected the animals
protected the trees
moving carefully through
all of their days
nearly all of their ways
born of peace

they walked fine
in body and mind
and their dancing joys ran
like wild berry wine

today as they walk
their bodies seem dead
leaving only their spirits
living instead

while their souls go bodiless
walking this land
blessing, protecting
their still sacred home
they had never presumed to own
like the white men had
when they flooded like locusts
onto the ground
with plough and fence
and bullets in hand
and murdered the families
of Eagle’s they found
till over the land
were fearfully spread
so many red skins
of its own native dead

silent they lay
in a great quilted band
sad tribute indeed
to greed
hunger and dread

for centuries
Eagle
had watched
from above

he heard all the killing
he felt all the pain
it rose in the air
like upside-down rain

and also there came
upward the cries
of the two-legged families
with whom he had grown
whose strong braves had fought
the “Indian wars” far below

he watched as defeated they walked there
on those long trails weeping to nowhere
sickly and starving they came
force-marched over the land

weighed down right to the end
by the white man’s shame
till at last there were few
who were able to stand

now many long years
passed sadly on by
then one fine day Eagle
decided to fly
down

so lonely was he
for family
when he landed
upon the ground
that he touched
each red skin
he could find
then chanted alone
his final good-byes
while grieving
one ultimate time
for the unending sin
of deadly mankind

and then he was done

but when
he jumped up to fly
back to his home
in the pearly blue sky
he saw that red color run
away from its skins
and speedily come
persistently following him

so he furrowed his feathery brow
and thought what to do, and how

he decided to open a door
down deep in his soul

after screaming
one ear-splitting call
he invited that red color in

he knew in this way
he could honor forever
all
of his family dead
his sorely missed kin

that’s why today
the famous Oval Office
of these United States
holds our president’s seal
where Eagle stands wed
to the stars of our states

on his proud chest are placed
stripes of pure white

but between them evenly spaced
with the same number and size
fly the proud and the wide

native stripes

of indelible
red

.

[Baywriter]

This was a great piece of narrative poetry, and I followed the story the whole way through. I love the reference to red and blood and how you've reminded us how much blood our history contains. The ending with the description of the flag and what its stripes mean was great. The use of the eagle was good, too, as was the way you tied it to Native American culture at the beginning and then tied it to the rest of us at the end, showing that, in some way, we're all connected, whether it's good or bad. Really effective piece of work with clear images. Good job. :)

Bay

[MikelFirewalker]

thanks, Baywriter...that's a marvelous and truly helpful comment!


michael

[everhopeful]

Although I'm a bit ignorant in regard to the history of the Natives, being from across the pond, I still found it easy to identify with the poem and the descriptions within it. While the idea of such reverence for nature may appear distant and even ancient to people who have grown up in the technological age, it has a refreshing appeal to me. As you illustrate, sometimes elements of history have modern significance that many are unaware of, and reconnecting back to where we're from can help us make more sense of who we are now.

[MikelFirewalker]

I'm delighted you enjoyed this one from way over there across the pond! ...but I can see your heart dancing everywhere, dear everhopeful, as it so easily and graciously connects with souls from all over the planet, thanks to this amazing information age...you are a natural, and a joy to my old heart...


michael

[Philip16]

Your poem captures the deep reverence and respect that the Native Americans had, and hopefully still have, for Life and nature. They seem to have known, and been very comfortable with, their place in the mind-body-spirit-earth continuum, an attribute probably not as readily gleaned from hours on the X-box.
Truly awesome piece.
Philip16

[Valentine]

I really love the first 2/3 of this write when it truly reflects on the Indian tribes and the changes white man brought,,then for me it wanders. A thought provoking write, Valentine

[rupertpupkin]

Hi. This was a wonderful poem and most deserving of a spotlight. Great narrative throughout. Well done!

[karrie]

This held me from the beginning to end. Much enjoyed and congratulations on the well deserved Spotlight!

[MikelFirewalker]

thank you Philip16 and karrie and rupertpupkin for your wonderfully encouraging comments...and please forgive me for not answering you sooner, as I have been ill for the last few months and not online very often...

blessings,
michael

[created2write]

A wonderful tribute that keeps those of us who do know the history mindful of those things that seem so long ago but have such relevance to things happening around us today. History always makes for poetic spill when the right pen handles it, and yours my friend was indeed the right pen. Peace, V