walls of flames
agonizingly scream
of burnt offerings
upon hatred's winds
pride stirring
Algonquin mouths
with now
forbidden words
tears flow from
Lantern Hill
to float endlessly upon
"Missi-tuk"
swirling the depths
with tragedy
revealing faces
of Pequot sorrow
blood spilled upon
native banks
bent low
with suffering
whispering willows sway
with remembered customs
now shaded by
whitened history
the red man painted
with murderous rage
and buried by conquering intent
staining the soil
the river sees all
with watery eyes
as it churns
with aching conscience
and Missi-tuk shimmers
with Sassacus's reflection
revealing warrior's spirit
resting bravely in
Mystic's tears...
Author notes
The Mystic Massacre took place on May 26, 1637, when English settlers under Captain John Mason, and Narragansett and Mohegan allies set fire to a Pequot fort near the Mystic River, shooting whatever victims attempted to escape the wooden palisade fortress, killing the entire village of mostly women and children, in retaliation for previous Pequot attacks.
The only Pequot survivors were those who had followed their sachem Sassacus in a raiding party outside the village.
A contest entry
- Mystic Tears by Everwind Rising.
1100 points, ended November 4, 2007, 11 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
-
I appreciated your phrase "burnt offerings upon hatred's winds". Also, "the red man painted with murderous rage" made me reflect on who was doing the painting...the warriors in the raiding party painting themselves, or the white historians 'painting' history (sadly, there were plenty of inhumanities on both sides)? Nice personification of the river. Congrats on the trophy!
-
This is haunting and deeply sorrowful. Wonderfully written. I really like the element of personification of the river. It is like a silent witness to such tragedy - again, haunting. This piece is full of original and affecting imagery. The only thing that I didn't care for in this excellent piece is the cliched use of "weeping willow". I think that it might have been better to omit "weeping" as the weeping image is instantly connotated in the mind of most readers because of the much overused cliche. But this is a minor point on this excellent piece.
-
Great stuff. I love how you made the river a reflection of the history of the tribes and their conflicts. My absolute favorite line was "now shaded by whitened history"--to me that speaks SO much. It addresses not only the loss of the Native customs, but the takeover of the white colonists. But on a deeper level, those lines speak of the hypocrisy in the white mens' self righteous attitude and their superior, imperialistic mindset. So much said in just a few words! Loved it!
I got this terrible picture in that last stanza of the beheaded Sassacus, though. Your phrases really spoke to his honor and the honor of his people, but I just pictured his severed head floating in the reflection of the water. Warped mind, huh?
Anyway, great poem. Good luck in the contest.
Adding your comment:
