Waves of prairie grass
high as a horse's belly -
as long as it grows . . .
Life-giving water
deep beneath the fine, red dirt -
as long as it flows . . .
We honor the old,
and we birth our fine, strong young,
but peace is poison.
Mother Buffalo
has entered the mountain, and
we shall be starved white.
For Kerry's Challenge at Real Toads,
April Heights Haiku Challenge,
and . . . it's 55 words for my G-Man!
20 comments:
You've braided three prompts into one beautiful rawhide rope. The last stanza is beyond chilling, and all too true.
"starved white" ...wow, that says it all.
Mama Zen...
One of my favorites EVER from you.
A Nations Lament!!!
Thanks for including me this week.
Fantastic 55 Lady.
Thanks for this Triple Threat of PERFECTION...Have a Kick Ass Week-End
Happy Easter
Whoa! "Starved white".......Such a powerful poem. "Mother Buffalo has entered the mountain"........great writing, kiddo!
lovely visual in the opening...peace is poison is a nice line...and that last stanza is killer
Starved white ... oh my!!!
This is my Day 5 ~~ Waves Wash Over Me.
Wow, there are some powerful images here. Well done.
Yup, great stuff, and the last stanza is really powerful, and sadly true.
Perfectly done.
Oh, I was so hoping someone would invoke the White Buffalo - what a tremendous slice of oral lore that is. I'm so glad you brought the thread into your marvellous haiku series, and that it's all done in 55 is a mark of your talent in the short write - this story is immense.
I am in awe of your talent. Your wit and craftsmanship created a piece with beauty and strength.
And this is beautiful and yet, so sad for its truth.
Evocative and intense from beginning to end!
Great poem! Peace was poison. 55 perfect words.
So inspired! lovely piece in 55-
thanks.
The native voice is like a relic beach, now just the outlines of what was once a vital encounter. All we see now is the "staved white" bones; but you've picked up one and, like a conch, heard and wrote down this. So much for treaties, longing, peace. Fine, fine, poem MZ - Brendan
The wisdom of a woman ... a woman who has lived, who understands, who is.
Wow, this was so good I didn't even catch on to each being it's own haiku, alone yet interconnected. Everything just flowed together.. You are the Haiku master…Love the final one too, as it uses tribal religious belief imaging very nicely. Great read. Thanks
Those treaties were spelled with death and starvation ~
Fine work MZ~
Evocative, strong words. Powerful piece of writing.
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