their laws 
have filled the land 
with invisible walls 
we cannot go here 
we cannot go there 
stay on your land they say 
stay on your Indian treaty land 
the treaty land they steal 
they steal much leave little 
for the Indian 
... 

we buy tractors to plow our land 
grow our food 
they make laws 
take away Indian tractors 
no one -  not even white-man 
can plow land with picks and shovels 
take too long 
growing season too short 
no more buffalo 
no more food 
 we are too weak 
our women starve 
our men starve 
our children starve 
we try to fight 
fight for food 
white-man bring in guns 
guns to kill Indian 
they say we start rebellion 
they say we are lazy 
they say we are children 
they say we are pagan 
don't believe in the true God 
the white-man's God 
... 

maybe their God 
the white-man's God 
will help us if we believe 
we pray to white-man's God 
Indians pray hard to white-man's God 
our father who art in heaven 
help us we are starving 
mother of God in heaven 
help us we are starving 
white-man's God feed white-man 
white-man's God starve Indian 
white-man priests say forgive white-man 
he know not what he do 
... 

we ask 
why white-man's God not help 
no question God they say 
white-man make Indian priests 
Indian priests say forgive white-man 
he know not what he do 
we ask Indian priests 
why white-man's god not help 
Indian priest say 
white-man's God make dead white-men happy 
white-man's God make dead Indians happy 
white-man's God make all dead happy 
no question white-man's God 
... 

white-man's God of death 
want to kill 
Indian God of life 
make Indian like white-man 
killer of life 
... 

but 
we will live to tell our story 
we will not let our story die 
some day we will 
bring back our God 
bring back our laws 
 bring back our pride 
pride in being Indian 
our children will 
live into the future 
and in that future 
our people 
will build a proud Indian nation 
an Indian nation 
 that will join with the white-man's children 
children that have found the God of life 
children that will stop the killing of Indians 
children that will stop the starving of Indians 
and together  
Indian children and white-man's children 
build an Indian nation 
within a country 
as our forefathers dreamt 
... 
 

Keith O'Connor 
2002   Jan 13 
Ottawa Canada 
www.tinmangallery.com 
 

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