Heritage

HERITAGE, TOO LATE

I can almost see the spirits here
certainly their pain I feel
I understand as well their fear
their anger too is just as real

A thousand years they lived this land
elders, hunters, children and wives
history and heritage we wouldn't understand
so we discredited and destroyed their lives

Used the trees to build our dreams
the animals for more than our needs
not as endless as they seemed
even now the land still bleeds

So convinced we were better than they
convinced ourselves had the right
to condemn them, to kill them, to send them away
astonished and insulted by their choice to fight

Less than human we honestly believed
actually tried to save their souls
while we murdered, stole and deceived
in righteous destruction to achieve our goals

Only now do we regret our choices
too late we realize we were wrong
my heart listens to their spirit voices
sing so sadly their grieving song

They mourn the lessons we should 've learned
they weep for the lives they deserved to live
and pray to their creator to forgive us who spurned
the friendship, trust, and wisdom they wanted to give

Story ID:	662
Written by:	Catherine AimeeRuth Grainger (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Poem
Location:	Mauston Wisconsin United States
Year:	2006
Person:	Everyone