The Native Americans Poem by Raymond Farrell

The Native Americans



They subsisted for millenia
On the land
Without harming it
Their way of life
Governed by a philosophy
That respected the earth
When the Europeans arrived
For the most part
They saw no edifices
Raised up to the glory of man
For this reason
They labelled the Natives
As primitive, savage, pagans
In need of civilizing
The history that followed
Is as sad as it is long
Genocide, crimes against humanity
Were not yet terms
That were part of the vocabulary
But by definition
These acts were committed
To virtually obliterate Native culture
Then the erecting of
The modern industrial state began
For all the benefits
That has brought
The consequences now
Are being felt
Because
Sustainable development
Was not practiced
Often the Natives warned them
Time and time again
About their disprespect
For nature and the land
No heed was taken
The bison were nearly exterminated
The passenger pigeon was exterminated
Because wanton greed is a disease
That feeds on itself
And cannot be satiated
But now we stand
Facing an environmental disaster
Of unprecedented order
Because the wisdom of those
Whose civilization we viewed
As primitive and uncivilized
Was not adhered to
But mocked and scorned
And the world in general
Craves short term gain
And has chosen our model
Of industrial development
Over one of sustainability
To achieve their goals
Putting the planet at risk.

Thursday, November 12, 2015
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Raymond Farrell

Raymond Farrell

Perth, Ontario
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