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After Wounded Knee MAG
March 1, 2009
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.
© Olivia E., Alto, MI
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JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 129 comments.
NaTivE_BeAutiE GOLD said...
on Oct. 21 2009 at 5:48 pm
thank you for highlighting the ongoing struggle for those of the first nations. Your writing is strong and this poem was very meaningful to my Lakota roots. Once again thank you and keep it up, my friend.
CocheInteligente said...
on Sep. 30 2009 at 9:06 pm
Oh! That's good to know. Thank you for informing me.
Elockwood said...
on Sep. 30 2009 at 10:15 am
It is in italics in the actual copy of the poem, but Teen Ink does not let you submit things in italics. Because of that, I had to differentiate the lines in some way, and parentheses were the only way I could think of.
CocheInteligente said...
on Sep. 29 2009 at 7:33 pm
I also agree. Perhaps you can italicize those lines instead of using the parentheses? It won't look the same but it has about the same meaning.
Black Heart said...
on Sep. 29 2009 at 10:27 am
I agree. I write about war sometimes. I even dream about it. Most of the time I'll take that dream and write about it. I makes it more realalistic. You're a poet so keep it up!!!=)
EmilytheAuthor DIAMOND said...
on Sep. 1 2009 at 2:53 am
glad to see i'm not the only one moved enough by that massacre to write about it. keep it up!
relenanite BRONZE said...
on Jun. 29 2009 at 6:19 pm
This poem Is really amazing. It actually puts you there in that place, as if your standing staring into the warriors face-grave, sad, feirce, and proud. It makes history mean something again. But I also agree that the parenthesis are distracting, and also, even though I love the line "the number of warrior souls you stole" and think it definately has an important place in the poem, it's a little off balance wear you put it, almost like changing your character refernce of the warrior, and thus the entire poem. That's just what I got from it.it's like it's mssing something to make it fit in understandablt. Overall an amazing poem!!! I'd love to read more of your work!!!
Miz.Independent. said...
on Jun. 4 2009 at 1:55 am
Wow!! you're a great writer,this is deep.. never stop beleiving in yourself your dreams WILL take you far. Good job
amyxu said...
on May. 22 2009 at 6:30 pm
I was just browsing Teen Ink website and I came across your poem. Good work! The imagery is all there and the cultural aspects of the poem are piercingly worded!
RheaD.Ravenfinger BRONZE said...
on May. 14 2009 at 11:50 pm
OH MY GOODNESS!!! I love this poem! I do! I do! Craziness! Oh goodness! I love it. FIVE STARS!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness! This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good. I could go on and on . . . . !!! YEA!!! You're an awesome writer!
Courtney.Firestone BRONZE said...
on May. 9 2009 at 10:15 pm
I don't think I completely understood this... But I really like it anyways!
DoLL_F@C3 said...
on May. 3 2009 at 11:01 pm
this is good
Firefly said...
on May. 3 2009 at 9:35 pm
This is an amazing poem
Sarah-Lou said...
on May. 1 2009 at 12:32 am
I'm a poet from Indiana too! Keep writing.
