The Battle of Plum Creek by Bob Atkinson

The Battle of Plum Creek

(c)2011 Bob Atkinson

a Texas sized herd of animals

walked north with fixed purpose

horses, mules, fed on grain

packed to carry away

prizes won in the battle for dominance

of the western Texas lands

driven north, this conquered loot

may someday assume good use

had been revenge this raid upon

white towns with their children young

capture ugly golden haired women

kill the men, take their weapons

west Texas felt the wrath of numbers
the warrior peoples' violent plunder

shaking now in the grasp of those

whose retribution rained like thunder

many chiefs were killed in council

under a white flag of truce

senseless slaughter of those revered

shattered the search for truth

left revenge in minds
some broke down weeping

left militant desires, caused war fires
and many womens' screams

no peace restored to open plains

all efforts toward this goal in vain
no talk would now erase the memory
of their dirty little game

rage, it was a weak word spoken

when describing all that had occurred

base senses felt such wild feelings

pondering horrors of callous curs

the heathen must be made to pay

for their wicked, wicked ways

catch their women and children running

rebuild, replenish our stocks of humans

ransack their buildings

pack what can be taken home
burn what's left in order to
make them suffer for what they'd done

make them pay for their misdeeds

make them regret they hadn't gone
give them reason to leave this land
justification to never, ever return

Part II

carry away spoils of war

take only what you need

to begin a life again on plains

not burdened by intrusion's greed

take their pride, take their boldness

take their progeny

take their lies and give them all

respect for Comanche

knowing this there still are some

who refuse the older ways

of buffalo and grounded feet

those times before freedom failed

expect, now, a new attack

that bee sting at our backs

our people are invincible

that is the strength we covet

how do we look now upon

the safety of our kind

giving to our way of life

security of quiet nights

how do we set them back

on heels of leather boots

how do we turn about

their needs for our own use

Part III

in the towns of the fellows

who came to our lands

without an invitation

or

respect for what we had

yellow gold had been piled

into large and heavy stones

these we have no use for

that awful yellow iron

but, as we are afflicted

by the liquor curse

they are also devastated

to their bones for it to search

place the shiny stones

around some pony's necks

let it sparkle in the sun

and send those horses back

send them in direction

of attackers in the rear

let them fight over possession

of these useless metal trinkets

it is the symbol of their greed

it causes them to fight

they have within their hearts

wealth desire unsatisfied

perhaps it replaces that which

they can never have

the freedom on the land

freedom from their fellow man

watch them fight each other

for possession of the gold

watch them run the other way

when their pockets hold

enough of it to satisfy

all their greedy needs

watch them run away from us

and a fight they no longer seek