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American Night
by Tony WhitakerThe pilgrim’s fled to fulfill their right
to pray as they please in their sacred rites
they longed for the loss of their mother land
their pious claim to call New England
But wary of these foreign faces
the natives fought these invading waves
so many once taken away as slaves
by faces white in wicked raves
These pale people whose numbers grew
waxed valiant to fight to hold their due
the red man’s plight, too late, too few
what once was theirs was lost to you
The red sun sets on an alien man
so long the natives ruled this land
now all that’s left are the rich remains
of the casino warriors who lost their creed
Their final word at Wounded Knee
11/24/2009 Author's Note: As my great grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee, I have always felt an empathy for the plight of these people and for all native Americans.
Posted on 11/24/2009
Copyright © 2010 Tony Whitaker
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 11/24/09 at 11:49 AM ...tony, well said, my man, well said... |
| Posted by Garth Hill on 11/24/09 at 12:02 PM this strikes hard, Tony. one of the earliest cases of planned biological warfare and racial genocide, and not too distant in the past either. reminds me of "Indian Yell" by Michael Blake. |
| Posted by Joe Cramer on 11/24/09 at 12:44 PM ... this is simply wonderful Tony..... |
| Posted by George Hoerner on 11/24/09 at 03:59 PM Well said Tony and today we talk about "our" nation and would keep out the "illegals". What righteous trash spills from our mouths!!! |
| Posted by Wendy Sparling on 11/24/09 at 07:39 PM Excellent write, Tony. I have always felt an empathy for the plight of these people too. Thanks for this poem. |
| Posted by Kristina Woodhill on 11/25/09 at 01:13 PM Loved the phrase - "casino warriors". |
| Posted by Gregory O'Neill on 11/26/09 at 05:19 AM Every feeling American should recognize a bit of all our heart where buried at Wounded Knee. Great write! Thanks. |
| Posted by Elizabeth Jill on 11/26/09 at 09:12 AM Thank you, Tony, thank you. Right on. |
| Posted by Michael Smith on 01/05/10 at 11:16 PM Awesome for you to share your background with us. You might make a good historian... a musical historian. I can get down with that :) |
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