The Taino Poem by Kathleen Graves

They came from far away
With galleons ships and weapons
But no one would ever know
All the people they would threaten.

The men women and children
In their lively and bountiful land
Their food supply was so plenty
And their colors were so grand

The Taino were quite happy
But the Spanish soon arrived
And took away their joy
They felt so deprived

The Taino were enslaved
Mining for the gold
The Spanish treated them harshly
And their story was never told

Anacaona formed a meeting
With all the Taino chiefs
But the Spanish burned down the hut
Oh how they are life thieves

But their was one boy who did survive
And would never give up hope
His name was Enrique
He would only talk to the pope

He married a young woman
Native to the land
She was tall and she was beautiful
Oh how she was grand





Donna Lucia
Yes that was her name
She was raped by Valenzuela
Uh what a terrible shame

But who was Valenzuela
Do you really want to know
Enrique’s adoptive father
From quite some time ago

Valenzuela was a Spaniard
A cruel and terrible man
This is why the Spaniards said
He is such a powerful man

Bartolome de las casas
Protector of the Indians
About the Spanish he once said
They are prince henrys’ evil minions

He fought beside Enrique
And to the Spanish they did talk
Enrique said politely
I will never stop

It went on for fourteen years
Never giving up
Enrique stuck with it
He was on the side of luck