NATIVE HEARTS WILL SURVIVE
MANY YEARS HAVE PASSED,
SINCE WE WERE FREE,
WE REMEMBER THE TRAIL OF TEARS,
AND WOUNDED KNEE...
OUR ANCESTORS CRIED,
AND WALKED MANY DAYS,
THEY WERE MADE TO FLEE,
AND COULD NOT STAY...
SOME WENT INTO HIDING,
FROM THE PERILS OF WAR,
AND LIVED OFF THE LAND,
SO MUCH HEARTACHE IN STORE...
A PRINCIPLE PEOPLE,
THEY WERE CALLED,
THEY HAD RESPECT AND HONOR,
AND WITH PRIDE THEY STOOD TALL...
THEY LOVED THEIR LAND,
AND CARED FOR IT WELL,
TILL THE WHITE MAN CAME,
AND TURNED IT INTO A HELL...
THE SOLDIERS BROUGHT GUNS,
CANNONS AND FIRE,
THEY TRIED TO GIVE PEACE BUT TO NO AVAIL,
MANY DIED FROM THE GOVERNMENTS HAIL...
OUR PEOPLE WANTED ONLY,
TO SHARE WHAT THEY HAD,
THEY GAVE OF THEMSELVES,
IT IS ALL SO SAD...
WOMEN, CHILDREN,
AND THE OLD ALIKE,
WERE TAKEN AWAY,
IN THE HORRIBLE FIGHT...
DRIVEN LIKE CATTLE,
DOWN A LONG LONELY ROAD,
THOUSANDS OF MILES,
WITH HEAVY LOADS...
THEY WALKED AND THEY SANG,
OF BETTER DAYS TO COME,
THE WAGONS WERE THERE,
SO THEY COULDNT RUN...
THEIR SICK AND THEIR DEAD,
SOLDIERS WANTED TO HAUL,
PRIDE NEVER CAME,
BEFORE THE FALL...
THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW,
THE WHITE MAN TO WIN,
THEY CARRIED THEIR FAMILIES,
ON THEIR BACKS AND THEN...
WHEN THEY REACHED THE END,
MANY HAD PARRISHED,
THE LOVE OF OUR PEOPLE,
WE WILL ALWAYS CHARISH...
HARDSHIPS AND PAIN,
SICKNESS AND DEATH,
THEY HELD THEIR HEADS HIGH,
WITH EACH GASPING BREATH...
THEY WALKED EVERY MILE,
WITH PAIN AND FEAR,
THEIR FEET WERE BLEEDING,
AND SO MANY TEARS...
CONDITIONS FOR OUR PEOPLE,
TODAY HAVE NOT MUCH CHANGED,
WE FAUGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS,
MANY ARE IN CHAINS...
THEY TRIED TO DEFEND US,
AND MAKE IT ALL RIGHT,
THE HARDER THEY TRIED,
THE HARDER THE FIGHT...
THE RESERVATIONS THEY SAY,
ARE FOR OUR OWN GOOD,
OUR RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED,
AND THINGS WILL BE AS THEY SHOULD...
BUT OUR BABIES ARE STARVING,
WE HAVE NO FOOD OR HEAT,
NO SHIRTS ON OUR BACKS,
OR SHOES ON OUR FEET...
OUR OLD ARE SICK,
AND NEED MEDICINE TO SURVIVE,
THEY PROMISED A GOOD LIFE,
WE ARE BARELY ALIVE...
BUT WE WONT GIVE UP,
THIS IS OUR LAND YOU SEE,
WE WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH,
TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE FREE...
TO HAVE RESPECT, HONOR AND PRIDE,
TO DANCE AND SING BY GRANDFATHERS SIDE,
TO WALK OUR PATHS IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL SEE,
THAT WE ARE RED IN OUR HEARTS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE!!!
THE END
BY: JOYCE MOUNTAIN LION KOZIC
SOUTEASTERN CHEROKEE
JUNE 1999
REFLECTIONS OF MOUNTAIN LION
Email: mlwatchs@aol.com
