'fare ye well' kind friends
Is there any doubt as to symbolic significance of our butchery
of all things deemed ugly or more profitably - unnecessary
in those celebratory feasts
of Turkeys and whitewashed legacies.
How morose to gift wrap the genocide - still dripping scarlet
under the guise of cultural justification.
It would be the height of dissociative inhumanity
if it wasn’t such a regurgitated tactic of human vanity.
Come, sing and dine
with the fine wine
of heritage warped - lies,
give thanks
to the remembrance of atrocities
and toast loud the land grabs that obliterated
an entire continent’s way of life…
Dare we ever contemplate the wrath that awaits to collect
for every sipped smile of wilful ignorance
in the names of those who were butchered
for being the heroic bastions of their beloved motherland
let me ink the burden of Virginia’s cannibalism
upon history’s reeking pages of guilt - that wistful eyes flick past
with the self-righteous abandon of victors, who sleep easy
under the guise of having achieved their totalitarian necessary...
If there be any who empathise
at this National Day of Mourning, mortified
by the blood-stained bill of collective inheritance
I merely ask: delve deep - beyond
these shallow apologist words and look out with open mind’s
at the true meaning in choosing to ignore the protests at our doorsteps
just to ensure the continuity of culture’s dipped in such despicable truths.
© L. B. Mek
November 2020
-
Author:
L. B. Mek (
Offline) - Published: November 27th, 2020 04:53
- Comment from author about the poem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_Mourning_(United_States_protest)
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 66
- User favorite of this poem: Doggerel Dave.
Offline)
Comments8
As a foreigner to your shores, one wonders if those native american peoples robbed of their heritage at threat of death and given third class station, also celebrate thanksgiving.
History is written bold by either the winner of a war, the powerful or the two combined. But there are other histories to read.
Thanks for the supportive comment my friend, although I too am a foreigner to the shores depicted in my write, but still I empathise with those that have to live side-by-side with the injustices acknowledged but blatantly marginalised.
There is little point in assuming the moral high ground while reading history's curated 'facts'. There is a cause and effect that threads each occurrence of humane selfless brilliance, or base brutality's atrocities. I do not harbour such egotistical vehemence to be judge and jury, who am I too? Pointing fingers was not why I penned this write. USA has no more horrors in its historical cupboards than any other significant country in our world.
I do however feel we harbour a responsibility to sing the song of the minority even if merely to create awareness, without: necessarily being inflammatory, hence my tactful reasoning for posting this the day after.
Here is a page full of works by native Americans, speaking for themselves: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/collections/144560/native-american-poetry-and-culture
I have learnt so much from this page .. this prose and associated literature .. I knew first nation native american indians were badly treated but my eyes have since been opened wider ..
that's the beauty in fostering community's such as MPS, we have a platform where we feel safe to express our thoughts, while acknowledging the trust that responsibility comes with: to not go out of our way to be inflammatory or marginalise each others 'right's',
thereby cultivating an environment where we can better ourselves one learned truth - after one confronted lie,
as a bonus we even get to make some like minded literary friends, lol thanks for the considered comment and support
My eyes too have been opened by this poetic outing of genocide and my heart goes out to those deprived of not only land but life in battles red as crimsoned guilt.
thank you as ever for bringing a touch of class to this page Fay, how vividly you articulated my sentiments with your comment
I always felt it was sad that we’d let kids dress up as cowboys and native Americans and tell them stories of unity when it was the opposite. I suppose many believe ignorance is truly bliss.
truly appreciate you the taking the time to make such a considered comment and maybe there's some justification initially for perpetuating ignorance, to help establish the fledgling pillars of USA's beautiful dream of democracy; for example I think July 4th celebrations should be shared by any who harbour hopes of a future where Aristocracy is as marginalised, as we of todays lowly majority are minimalised,
but it's 2020 and we must be more aware and tactile with a day of celebration occurring: literary next door, to our neighbours day of mourning for the same historical events,
at the very least we harbour a responsibility to have their voices heard and acknowledge their suffering, however sobering it's effect to the celebratory nature of the days remembrance,
Going to keep this short as I couldn't possibly articulate anything to measure up to that:
Here (you know where I am) same story. And still public policies and virulent prejudice wreak havoc on communities.
Dave
PS: I'd vote reprieve and freedom for the turkey also.
thank you commenting and sharing your poignant perspective Dave
'I'd vote reprieve and freedom for the turkey also.' funny, there is a relatively new tradition of 'sparing' a turkey over the December celebrations by USA presidents, that's right 'a' turkey: one, solitary act of kindness as some symbolic gesture...
I agree this tragic tale of atrocities, is a blatantly marginalised truth shared by many of humanity, in almost every continent of the world; still, we must strive for a future where such horrors may never be repeated and give voice to the suffering of our fellow brothers and sisters
The Native Americans were (and are) treated so badly, their lives and culture was destroyed and yet it is celebrated by those who 'won'.
As d a has said 'History is written by the winners' - but what if the losers were right.
Andy
thanks for commenting such empathetic words Andy, personally I find it hard to look back at history and judge other's when our recent history has us invading Iraq under false justifications and we had years where our representative leaders in two of the highest positions of power in the world, were Boris and Trump, both the fruition of our righteous democratic votes...
instead, I merely hope that by listening-to and helping each other grow we somehow stumble on a future where we can take responsibility for our inherited failing's and learn to never repeat those same horrors
I've made this one a favourite (only very recently found out how to do this!!) not just because I admired the actual work, but because the time and thought you put into your very detailed and considered responses were truly informative and in a class of their own.
I don't know quite how to thank you properly, L.B.
Dave
it took me a while to work out the fav system as well when I joined, lol
very humbled by your encouraging words and gesture, truly appreciate you taking the time
A beautiful and saddening history lesson wrapped in poetry. L. B.
Only having been on a while I find you masterful with evocative...phrases says too little about something more like meditations. Brutally emotive but in a way that's disturbing and equally attractive.
J
it was a sobering write, I will admit I was a little hesitant about posting it due to the rather bold wording I used at times, needles to say I didn't expect it to be received so well, just goes to show how open minded and supportive a communitive they have managed to cultivate here on MPS,
thank you for the kind and supportive comments
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