See No Indian, Hear no Indian

Victoria Lena Manyarrows

it wasn't so long ago, i tell you in a stream

of broken words & suppressed anger,

when these lands were not occupied

they were free

and people lived in harmony

you tell me you don't

want to hear it, you don't

want to hear what i have to say

i tell you, what you are doing to me now is

killing me

negating my existence

denying me my voice, my life.

i tell you how we the indians always listened

listened to one another and

talked out our differences.

i tell you this world

this world strangled & distorted by white men

will die a harsh and bitter early death

if no one learns to listen

and dream together.

but you don't want to hear this

you say it's too much for you now

you've already left

your mind a stone

and the doors have closed.