Friday, October 28, 2016

Red Nation, Rising




(1) bisons from videobuzz on Vimeo.


Tatanka Oyate,
Buffalo Nation,
you came to stand with your warrior
brothers and sisters at Standing Rock.
You felt the energy of the braves
blowing across the land,
calling for help from all that lives,
as they stand to protect
the land and living water,
the spirit land of their ancestors.
But the land of the Lakota, the treaties,
are as nothing, when it comes to oil;
only the black god matters.

The living water waits,
the line of protectors standing
between it and the guns and tanks,
the hit-men of corporate interests,
puppets pulled by invisible strings
that lead to the death
of everything.
Corporations neither know nor care
about land and water,
or future generations.
It has but one creed: money.

The tanks roll in;
the line of intimidation
stands firm.

But then the buffalo come,
in their hundreds,
in their power,
galloping across the horizon
in response to the call of the people,
who care for the living land we all share.
This power can never be equaled,
or extinguished.
It is a power of the heart,
of justice,
of the way humans are meant
to live on this land,
as guests,
not plunderers.

The Red Nation is rising
under the tree of life
at the edge of the living waters,
saluting the "light within (each other's) eyes
where the whole universe dwells."*

Brown Buffalo,
your beauty moves me, as I stand
with the warriors of Standing Rock.
My heart lifts at the sight of you.
Ah, ho.


* spoken to Sitting Bull by Oglala Lakota Sioux Crazy Horse four days before he was killed by US soldiers who were trying to imprison him. You might have to watch the buffalo  over at Vimeo, as I dont know how to make the video smaller. This stand is a definitive one. It is time for all peoples to rise against corporate destruction, to protect the land and waters that are left.


28 comments:

  1. Beautifully written, Sherry!

    Love the vision of buffalo galloping on the horizon and 'the Red Nation under the tree of life'....I'm there is spirit, too.

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  2. Wonderful tribute to all of nature.
    You are truly lucky

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  3. Yes! I saw them and came to a stop with awe at the message this congruence brings to the protectors of water and the evil gods of oil.

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    1. It was a moment of wonder, wasn't it? Just as this poem inspires awe and wonder.

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  4. Many of us stand with these warriors, Sherry!! And those buffalo definitely could not have arrived at a better time. A powerful poem, Sherry.

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  5. Powerful stuff! But oh, how can the perpetrators be so blind and stupid?

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  6. Money seems to have been the motivation through the years. Only the bison is still free of harassment though their numbers have declined!

    Hank

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  7. "only the black god matters."

    Amen, sister. Preach on.

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  8. We must make a stand. Somewhere. Self-respect demands it.

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  9. The black god has the power to drench us all.. if but the bullalo would listen.

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  10. What a fantastic poem Sherry...only the black god matters... how much more will thr rest of the world silently give up to this greed? Loved this poem truly.

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  11. We won our fight in Australia to stop drilling in the Great Australian Bight, let's hope you win this one.

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  12. Such a beautiful tribute, Sherry ❤️

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  13. Profound, we were meant to be guests not plunderers; Indeed
    Have a blessed Sunday Sherry

    much love...

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  14. Yes, I will stand in spirit with the buffalo and the people of the land. I have seen the video and it made me cry, as the buffalo has spoken for the people.

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  15. It'd be amazing to see a mighty herd of Bison. Enjoyed the vision of this poem.

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  16. Nice poem.
    But we're neither guests nor plunderers. This is our home and high time we take responsibility of it and giver her the respect she deserves.

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  17. I watched the video Sherry and what had happened was so powerful - the buffalos came in full force to support.

    The poem is powerful too, it opens up the mind of the large corporations to take care of the earth. Mankind has a love and hate relationship with the oil industry

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  18. Well done Sherry.
    I also like what you did to your site.
    ZQ

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  19. Amen!! I pray your poem as prayer goes into the ethers, enters our souls and transforms us. Beuatifully done Sherry.

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  20. Oh - how absolutely exquisite - what a voice for a desperate time ...

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  21. Beautifully written and moving Sherry~

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  22. This is so moving Sherry! The black god ruins us all

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  23. A stirring post and your poem: a powerful articulation of, yet another instance of, corporate greed triumphing over this planet and all life on it. An important piece, Sherry.

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  24. Heartfelt words. The whole world is watching. Water is life. You should submit this around to newspapers.

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  25. I gasped the first time I saw the video, then spent some moments in sheer gratitude. I agree with Colleen, you need to spread this piece around. You have always been the voice of the land and the animals. Become the voice of clear clean waters.

    Elizabeth

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  26. The way you have tied past history to present circumstances is inspired, Sherry. I love the sense of culture and values imbued in the lifestyle of the First Nation.

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