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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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This article has 129 comments.
BMMSKC said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 9:25 am
I could see everything you were talking about....love it
bmmsgk said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 8:37 am
i like how you said war paint was refering to blood in your poem
sleeplessdreamer PLATINUM said...
on Feb. 8 2010 at 6:49 pm
Really unique. I loved it.
divinelove33 GOLD said...
on Feb. 8 2010 at 6:30 pm
fantastic. it left me awe struck. great job
notw said...
on Feb. 8 2010 at 12:55 pm
that was reall deep that was awesome
FrySnickerdoodle said...
on Jan. 17 2010 at 3:51 pm
This poem is so gorgeous. The use of colorful language is incredible.
dancingdaisies GOLD said...
on Jan. 17 2010 at 12:38 am
tHERE IS A GREAT USE OF LANGUAGE, BUT I DON'T GET IT
AWScienceGeek GOLD said...
on Dec. 4 2009 at 8:17 pm
That was beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous!
Book Addict said...
on Dec. 4 2009 at 5:15 pm
I love this, you put it together in an amazing way. Painting a picture of a moment in american history that most would rather leave behind being the horrible nature of the event, but you wrote about it. It's amazing!(:
Elockwood said...
on Nov. 17 2009 at 7:08 am
Since this is a poem, whatever the poet wants is generally grammatically correct. Take E.E. Cummings, for example. His punctuation is definitely not grammatically correct, but it adds a lot of depth to the poem. In this, the parentheses are used to set apart certain lines.
sasssgirrrl22 PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 7:13 pm
this is amazing. u set this horrible time into a great perspective. awesome descriptionz. keep writing!! ;P
despurlock DIAMOND said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 5:38 pm
This poem was absolutely gorgeous! I love how you took an event and molded its meaning into your peace of flowing awesome-ness (for lack of better words) :) Great job!
AspiringJellyfish BRONZE said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 4:25 pm
I don't understand the use of parenthesis? Is that grammatically correct?
gaypiratebooklover46 said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 2:15 pm
This was a really great poem i am really bored at school and there for had nothing to do. It really helped me get out o my bordom!
jmc.13 said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 10:04 am
Really beautiful phrasing. I loved your word choice and use of parenthesis, it added a lot of depth.
Great work!
Great work!
cheerchick4 SILVER said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 9:28 am
it is an amaizing poem
tomtamtimmy GOLD said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 3:43 am
you have loads of talent. good work
