Pilgrimage To Standing Rock: Sacred Land Water Rights Poem by Terence George Craddock

media lead lost follow shadow leaders miming script words
acting out script character roles in 2016 presidential races
do you not know argument anger hate diversity descension divisions
are dark waters treacherous undercurrents political division sows
America Awake open scale eyes realize honour real power nobility
is not found in corrupt leaders but in individuals ordinary people unity
strength is forged in ordinary people citizens believing living integrity
we wait for real genuine leaders to lead we need common will sincerity

media criminal bloated on oil bribes will not report
Dakota Access Pipeline protests until five months
into protests when protests were gaining tractions
attention on social media reporting in August 2016

media was bias indifferent toward Native Americans
reports soiled with stereotypes about Native Americans
bad press speaking poverty alcoholism describing teepees

ask not who will lead do not wait for myth leaders
history reveals ordinary people must rise to be leaders
ordinary people with common skills answer call to be leaders
in times of great adversity chaos common people rise with skills
their ordinary sacrifices skills serve surface pledges in freedom causes
do you believe Washington alone walked alone won great cost victories?

at Valley Forge in 1777-78 victory was won first over winter adversity
disease exposure malnutrition starvation were bitter snow ice adversity
ill-equipped poorly fed a feeble army staggered into Valley Forge security bloody footprints testified marked the path where shoeless limped weary
one in four shoeless moans sad state of an American Continental Army

an army equipped with freedom belief dreams withstood terrible winter
an army suffers terrible conditions stayed course withstood horror winter
an infant American Continental Army dared dream freedom during winter

inadequate supplies soldiers received little meat bread to sustain bodies
soldiers starvation suffered sole nourishment sometimes firecake tasteless
a mixture of flour and water occasionally pepper pot soup a dish of black
pepper-flavored tripe broth would be supplemented instead of firecake

Washington despaired so severe conditions were at times
Washington said 'that unless some great and capital change
suddenly takes place... this Army must inevitably... starve,
dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best

manner they can.' a grim fate dread dire hung over Valley Forge
even worse no supplies desperate needed fresh drinkable clean water

snow a water source was limited found but small in amounts
a layer of snow often too thin to be successfully collected melted

into drinking water temperatures terrible variable alternating
freezing melting snow ice weather made it impossible to keep dry
living in inadequate shelter short food water caused disease to fester

conditions dispiriting cruel inflicted upon men life stock

Washington's Chief of Artillery wrote report animals fared no better
General Henry Knox wrote hundreds of horses either starved to death
or died of exhaustion 700 horses had died by the end of that winter

action is needed Washington must act Act now cannot wait
cannot wait for help supplies from Continental Congress

Washington acts appointed a new talented Quartermaster General
as Quartermaster General Washington appoints Nathanael Greene
to take charge of supplies Washington's ablest most trusted General

in doings thus Washington signaled severe supply situation
was a more serious threat to his army's survival than Howe's
army Greene finds caches of food clothing desperately needed
determinedly hauled supplies to Valley Forge for troops horses

Valley Forge severe shortages of food water clothing supplies
clothing wholly inadequate in need of clothing many soldiers died
soldiers wounded in previous battles from exposure died cold starving
long marches had destroyed shoes blankets were scarce need was great
tattered garments seldom replaced uniforms clothing supplies depleted

worst shortages caused nearly 4,000 men to be listed as unfit for duty

in testing times of extreme emergency sometimes nature provides
as nature will in the spring of 1778 according to locals fisherman lore
shad spawning migrations in spring early summer up Schuylkill River
provided desperate troops Valley Forge with moderate food supplies

an army thrives survives with not just weapons but food supplies

water flows in streams rivers like veins of life within our bodies
water flows in rivers on land in river currents in seas in our bodies
sacred water water life giving flowing pure are life giving water rivers
do you not know people cannot drink crude oil oil chokes life tar kills
rivers greed chokes white corporate greed black dust is legacy oil spills

black snake pipeline is dug into sacred Sioux lands without consent
tunnels through multiple sacred burial grounds through warrior bones
not through white man cemeteries that would be violation disrespect

now hear a chanted verdict on sacred burials an injustice
an American Congress Senate will not desecrate Valley Forge
War of Independence sacred burials or honoured Civil War
burials at Gettysburg National Cemetery (Pennsylvania, USA)
sacred World War I and II burials Korean War Viet Nam War burials

all are sacred Arlington National Cemetery
originally a Civil War cemetery near Washington, D.C.
has evolved into a burial ground for veterans
from every major conflict in American history
including the Revolutionary War a place of national respect

a place of solemn remembrance which honors
those who served their country with distinction
but sacred Native American burial sites are desecrated

to build a Dakota Access Pipeline in September 2016
construction workers bulldozed a section of privately owned
land the Standing Rock tribe claimed as sacred ground

no surprise a federal judge in Washington DC declined
to order the halt of all construction on a portion of contentious
Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) a route the Standing Rock

Sioux Tribe had identified as sacred tribal burial ground
a site sudden desecration bulldozed over Labor Day weekend
Native Americans from various tribes rushed to protect

the sacred site their land the response security workers
used attack dogs and pepper spray to attack Native Americans
resulting in injuries to demonstrators a protest horse

the issue is do native Americans have the right to protect
their water their land? the Standing Rock tribe surrounding
communities considered an oil pipeline a serious threat

to the region's water the pipeline's construction
endangered ancient burial grounds cultural sites
of historic importance Desecration of Sacred Sites

would Revolutionary and Civil War grave sites
be desecrated by oil companies their pipelines?
Would the Gettysburg National Cemetery

would the Arlington National Cemetery
be desecrated to built oil pipelines
impact oil pipeline on indigenous lands

on cultural heritage showcased
highlighted the long-standing disregard
for Native American indigenous

the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
stood up for their right to clean water
the right to protect sacred sites

centuries-old struggles
for justice and sovereignty
the fight for indigenous

rights Sioux protection of sacred sites
continues to be a critical issue worldwide
sacred sites not protected do not survive


Terence George Craddock (Afterglows Echoes Of Starlight)
Copyright © Terence George Craddock