Human History Part II

....will we ever dance?

In writing this poem I want to acknowledge drawing heavily from the book written by Ella Cara Deloria called “Waterlily”. This was a remarkable book detailing the daily life of the Dakota Sioux and two women, Waterlily and her mother Blue Bell. The conversation between Blue Bell and Smiling One was drawn from a conversation between these two women while at the Sun Dance Ceremony. I took liberties with their conversation and so it is my imagination that creates most of their discussion. Thanks for reading and hope that you enjoy. This poem has never really been critiqued before, at least not in any workshop way by fellow poets.

 

 

 

HUMAN HISTORY: PART 2

 

"Let's dance.

Lets dance.

Put on your red shoes and dance the blues."

          -D. Bowie

 

    

     I.

"Hao, Kola!"

"Hao, Kola!"

Greetings between two

darkly tanned men, black hair

waving erratically in the wind.

Deep black eyes smile

and embrace these two warrior friends.

"Hao, Kola!"

 

     II.

Out in the open prairie,

under an intense blue sky,

a few white clouds

float in contrast;

two Peoples drew towards

each other for a ceremonial sing,

customary before the Great Sun Dance.

 

     III.

"Hokahe". "Hokahe".

"Hokahe". "Hokahe".

The Dakotas and Omaha meet.

"Hokahe" floats on the fresh morning breeze.

Colorful war standards wave,

flirt about gracefully.

The Omaha have come to sing.

The Omaha, proud, magnificently bold.

The Omaha, in painted red face,

wearing heavily fringed buckskin white,

with war standards and lances held high,

the Omaha were a breath taking sight.

There on the prairie's lush green grass

Omaha greet Dakotas with ceremonial song.

 

     IV.

Two Dakota women overheard talking:

Blue Bird: "You met them? What are

            white people really like?

            Are they gentle, kind, as their

            skin would imply?"

Smiling One: "No, they are very hard, very

             stern and dull towards each

             other. They pass each other without

             recognition. Very unmannerly."

Blue Bird: "And what about the children?

            How do they play?"

Smiling One: "Oh, this is so sad I would

             say. I don't understand the

             reasoning behind their ways.

             These people actually detest

             their children. You should see

             them; slapping their little one's

             faces and lashing their poor little

             buttocks to make them cry!

             Yelling and screaming at them

             anytime of the day. I have never

             seen children treated this way!!"

Blue Bird:  Deep in thought, hugs little

             Water Lily. She feels sick with

             sympathy for these unknown

             children. Only crazy people

             teach their children like this.

             What would make white people crazy??

 

     V.

The Sun Dance time has arrived.

All the different Peoples,

Dakota, Teton, Omaha come,

make good on their vows

to the Great Spirits, settle debts

renew the hopes of their families

for peace and plenty from the land.

And they danced.

Looking straight into the sun,

because they knew it was what made them one

with the world and each other.

And they danced.

Time itself was lost in the sun

and new life was begun.

And they danced.

Danced around and sacrificed on

the clean cut pole,

blessed and made holy

just for this ceremony.

Till the sun was thrice Earth eaten

and moon time rose full in the sky.

But now on a different scene

and a People from so long ago,

who in their naked skin,

danced and howled at the moon.

Howled at the dead and the living.

Howled and danced,

danced and howled cause they were human.

 

     VI.

Thinking about this time worn scene,

I want to ask:

When will we, today’s humans dance?

Dance in global community?

Dance on the lush green grassy plains?

Dance on high hillsides, howling at a full, lush moon???

 

     VII.

"Let's dance.

Let's dance.

Put on your red shoes and dance the blues..."

 

~~Originally written 1998

~~ Revised October, 2002

~~Curt Mohn  

Author's Note

....thank you for reading.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

I wonder why no one ever talks about the Chesapeakes.

[redzone]

Hi John, thanks for the visit and comment. So, tell me about the Chesapeakes. It's a story/people worth reading/hearing.
-Curt

[John the Baptist]

The Chesapeakes were a tribe who lived in southeastern Virginia, in the area now occupied by the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. A few years before the first English settlers arrived in 1607, the Chesapeakes were attacked and annihilated by the Powhatan tribe.