After Wounded Knee | Teen Ink

After Wounded Knee MAG

March 1, 2009
By Elise Lockwood BRONZE, Carmel, Indiana
Elise Lockwood BRONZE, Carmel, Indiana
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

You still wear that old war paint
(angry lines slashed above your eyes)
I can feel you waiting for the battle to come
(spikes of red staining your cheeks)
There are no pawing horses now
No painted hands on their haunches
(the number of warrior souls you stole)
No noonday sun beating on bare backs
No smell of sweat and leather and bravery
Puncturing the familiar woodsmoke
(breastplates of porcupine quills, feathers in hair)
No ululations of war, yelling at fear
No singing, no dancing, no tribes, no homes
(scars left from the struggle free from the sun)
Just a drum drum drum beat
(a piece of flesh left for the Great Spirit)
Piercing through dreams.


The author's comments:
This was inspired by the Battle at Wounded Knee in 1890, a massacre of the Sioux.

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This article has 129 comments.


on Jan. 26 2011 at 4:14 pm
writerwriting GOLD, Houston, Texas
11 articles 0 photos 14 comments
I liked this; you have really good imagery:)
If you have some time, I would love you to check out some of my work on this site.

on Jan. 26 2011 at 1:50 pm
Jakethesnake BRONZE, Hernando, Mississippi
1 article 0 photos 96 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Read, Read... Read everything, then write."-William Faulkner

This is great! Although I do not know why they called it a ''battle." It was a massacre of unarmed women and children, old and young. We simply hated the Native Americans that much.

asofnow GOLD said...
on Dec. 13 2010 at 8:13 pm
asofnow GOLD, Troy, Michigan
18 articles 0 photos 208 comments

Favorite Quote:
Nothing gold can stay ~ Robert Frost

this is really good 

If u hav time can u chk out my wrk


Savanne BRONZE said...
on Nov. 25 2010 at 2:43 pm
Savanne BRONZE, Colfax, California
4 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I was never going to amount to much anyway, but now, statistically speaking, there's a better chance that some part of me will go on to greatness somewhere in the world. I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless." ♥ -Unwind

I loved it! the imagary was very good

on Nov. 21 2010 at 5:02 pm
MandaPerkins GOLD, Layton, Utah
17 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”-Audrey Hepburn

I like the imagery! I find the style of this quite unique. In other words, I love it. :)

on Nov. 21 2010 at 9:51 am
sleepinginthegarden BRONZE, Kingston, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 66 comments
r u kidding me teenagemutantme its sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good 

on Oct. 30 2010 at 9:41 pm
NaTivE_BeAutiE GOLD, Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 articles 0 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
~a woman looked at me and said, "You know, you really don't look Indian."So I smiled at her and responded: "Well you don't look stupid, but appearances can be awfully deceiving."~

oops! wow it posted twice

on Oct. 30 2010 at 9:40 pm
NaTivE_BeAutiE GOLD, Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 articles 0 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
~a woman looked at me and said, "You know, you really don't look Indian."So I smiled at her and responded: "Well you don't look stupid, but appearances can be awfully deceiving."~

Nice piece, you're a very talented writer. The imagery was unique and easy to follow. Yet the style and   flow were so complex! Don't let those jealous folks comments pull you down, ;) 

Also, thank you for sharing the harsh yet true time of violation and slaughter of so many innocent men, and mostly women and children.

Many people still think Indian and think: Halloween costume or fictional movie character. But we're still here, still strong, still proud.

I hope one day we'll be more clear and real to people who unfortunately, right now are too blind to see past a stereotype. 

Anyways, haha as I said before, you got talent! Keep writing!!


on Oct. 30 2010 at 8:56 pm
NaTivE_BeAutiE GOLD, Ann Arbor, Michigan
10 articles 0 photos 23 comments

Favorite Quote:
~a woman looked at me and said, "You know, you really don't look Indian."So I smiled at her and responded: "Well you don't look stupid, but appearances can be awfully deceiving."~

Tell it like it is, NativeWriter :)

 


on Oct. 30 2010 at 7:47 pm
It's lovely. I love how you mad it deep and part of the culture of that time with so little words, yet you gave it so much meaning.

marioc GOLD said...
on Oct. 30 2010 at 12:40 pm
marioc GOLD, Horton, Kansas
12 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
dont have one.

dude that was really good man, really enjoyed it.

on Oct. 8 2010 at 10:49 pm
iflyawesome BRONZE, Houston, Texas
1 article 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Willy Wonka: Don&#039;t you know what this is?<br /> Violet Beauregarde: By gum, it&#039;s gum!<br /> Willy Wonka: Wrong! It&#039;s the most fabulous sensational gum in the whole world!<br /> Violet Beauregarde: What&#039;s so fab about it?<br /> Willy Wonka: This little piece of gum is a three course dinner.<br /> Mr. Salt: Bull.<br /> Willy Wonka: No, roast beef. But I haven&#039;t got it quite right yet.

no offense or anything, but why is this so amazing??

i know the same could be said for my work (seeing as it took me all of 5minutes to write it) but this doesnt amaze me as much as it does others... ?


on Oct. 8 2010 at 6:36 pm
teenagemutantme BRONZE, Ilwaco, Washington
2 articles 1 photo 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don&#039;t matter and those who matter won&#039;t mind:)

It's okay:)

on Oct. 8 2010 at 5:03 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity. <br /> ~Amoniel<br /> <br /> "Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'" <br /> ~Thesilentraven

Chilling, heartbreaking, beautiful!!!!!! Thank you sosososososossoso much for writing and posting this!

Congratulations on getting it published :D


on Oct. 8 2010 at 1:46 pm
One word: Powerful

Sam-E. BRONZE said...
on Sep. 16 2010 at 6:13 pm
Sam-E. BRONZE, Baltimore, Maryland
2 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;This Is America!&quot;

It's beautiful , yet powerful. It's not enourmous, yet meaningful. This poem is apart of history, and apart of history means that something is forever! . Good Job =] !

on Sep. 8 2010 at 1:12 pm
TheEdgar PLATINUM, Fayetteville, North Carolina
22 articles 1 photo 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If you are in need of forgetting something, make a note to remember it.&quot;

If I were to stand on that battlefield I would have known you wrote it write. Amazing.

Lucy(: GOLD said...
on Aug. 25 2010 at 12:13 pm
Lucy(: GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
18 articles 0 photos 31 comments

so moving and eye-catching

each word is like a metphore but it makes so much sense

unbelieveable (:

check out my work toooo


Zzzie SILVER said...
on Aug. 3 2010 at 7:40 pm
Zzzie SILVER, North Canton, Ohio
8 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Think positive, or I&#039;ll have to start singing.&quot;

Very, very good. I love the last line!

on Aug. 3 2010 at 2:59 pm
guitargirl BRONZE, Boise, Idaho
2 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
If you dont like somthing, change it. if you cant change it, change your attitude about it.

wow!