We did not think of the great open plains, the beautiful rolling hills, the winding streams with tangled growth, as ‘wild’. Only to the white man was nature a ‘wilderness’ and only to him was it ‘infested’ with ‘wild’ animals and ‘savage’ people. To us it was tame. Earth was bountiful and we were surrounded with the blessings of the Great Mystery. – Luther Standing Bear
The buffalo, free on the plain,
a thundered herd unrivaled reign.
We honored gifts, maintained tableau;
a recognized wise interchain;
our food, our clothes, containers, ropes;
free on the plain, the buffalo.
Invaders came with guns and greed.
They killed our gods with twisted creed
of lies and steel, to poison veins,
us, and our ways. Our mother bleeds —
a mission to exterminate.
With guns and greed, invaders came.
How many more millennia will humans wage war against each other? I just read that the Neanderthals and the Homo-sapiens waged war with each other for 100,000 years. How far have we advanced since then. Whether is it the white man doing their best to exterminate the First Peoples on the North American continent or Putin invading the Ukraine, it makes me wonder if we have a capacity to do better?
Top image link is here and also a place where you can learn more about the White Buffalo-Calf Woman Prophesy.
Grace is today’s host of dVerse’ Poetry Form. Grace says: (wow, just figured out I can link like this also):
Am also linking this to Brendan’s site, earthweal, for Open Link Weekend.
Tao Talk 
Your poem is exquisite. Each line says tons and together with the photo, phenomenal. Loved reading this. And the videos, Tremendous. Young people in the best roles. Thank you.
I also have other ideas about the words at the bottom. It turned out too long though. Too long for a comment.
And if you’re busy, inappropriate.
Anyway, thanks. This poem/post landed me in a good but sad place concerning injustices. Still I wish you miracles
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❤ ❤ Selma ❤ ❤ Thank you.
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A very moving and evocative poem Li
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Sadje, thank you.
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My pleasure
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With guns and greed…yes, that combination….utter barbarity, yes, still very sad now, with all the space they had, why…powerful poetry Li, …of lies and steel, to poison veins,…stunning..
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Ain, thank you, and now they do it with Interstates and Oil Pipelines 😦
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I was thinking the same thing yesterday, Lisa, about how we never seem to learn. All these wars. An evocative poem that hits..
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It does seem to be a terminal condition. Thank you, Merril.
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You’re welcome.
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You said it all here Lisa:
‘of lies and steel, to poison veins’
I think we can only do better if we stop believing the lies. I hope we have the capacity to do this!
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I do also….
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Sometimes it’s extremely hard to hold on to the idea that humans are actually intelligent beings…(K)
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I want to write ‘LOL’ but it’s too depressing…
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Yes it is.
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Beautiful, and important.
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Alexandra, thank you.
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p.s. I wanted to make this longer, but when it comes down to it, there is nothing more to say beyond the horrible reality of it.
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this is a wonderful poem Lisa!
💖💖
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Thank you, Cindy ❤
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sooo welcome💖
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As long as there are humans…there will be wars. The ones in power cannot help themselves.
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😦 I believe you’re right. It’s part of human nature, and that is a big problem for mother earth. In the myth about Buffalo Woman, she warns that if we do not follow the ways as she prescribes there will be a flood that covers the planet.
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I know all humans are not…but I would say the majority are…especially unchecked…
email.
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This is an excellent response to the challenge.
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Dale, thank you.
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🙂
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We have a bountiful earth but we are just too greedy. Wonderful theme and form as well. Have a good weekend.
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Thank you very much, Grace. You also. Hoping to see a little sun this weekend.
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This reminds me of that quote, that if there is a World War III, the one following will be fought with fists and clubs. It is all too much, unbelievable humanity has not evolved after all this time.
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Yes it is, Sherry.
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With our history (and current state of affairs) of warring against each other, I have to say I don’t believe we have the capacity to do better. It pains me to say it but we seem to be incapable and that’s exceedingly sad. Thank you for a most meaningful poem and beautiful videos. xoxo
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Bodhi, it is. Thank you and glad they connect with you.
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Listening to the laments after reading your poem was quite a powerful experience – haunting songs, delivered by young people, in a modern setting, yet it felt they stretched back over centuries. We are now what we were then it seems…
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Marion, thank you for your thoughtful comment.
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A beautiful poem Lisa. I love the perspective from the Lakota point of view. We do have agression and oppression in our roots as well. Very sad. As Pete Seeger said in his song, “When will they ever learn….When will they every learn?”
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Thank you, Dwight, for your thoughtful comment.
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You are welcome! Our history seems to gloss over this perspective.
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A subject that wrings the heart. You use the form to illustrate the cruelty and the contrast of cultural views in these shameful events in our history extremely well. Will we ever grow beyond that primate brain of tribal greed, objectifying the other in order to dispossess and kill? I wonder.
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Joy, thank you for reading and your comment. I doubt that, short of divine intervention, we will.
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This is so sad… and alas so true, declaring nature wild is a way of saying it’s up for grabs…there is always a burden of past sins we carry with us.
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Yes, exactly, Bjorn.
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Fantastic poem, Lisa… Surreal, horrible situation…
😦
David
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realities difficult to face most of the time 😦
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war may simply be nature’s way of saying, ‘too many humans’. or not. i have no claim to wisdom ~
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M, you very well may be right. I have thought that about covid more than once…
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