Etwas Gedanken
The Widow of the Chief
Dust of the undulating plains had long settled down
Unspeakable horrors stained and scarred the ground
Her lips were pressed white and her eyes were stoic
Visualizing the last few hours, futile even if heroic
Accustomed to her warriors and their ways
She walked to the battlefield in a silent daze
Her father had fallen to an arrow straight to the heart
Two younger brothers were the next ones to depart
A fierce but prudent succeeding chief was soon named
Young, pretty and marriageable, she was then claimed
He was a man of few words but loved a good jest
She tended to the domesticity giving her very best
He was gallant and clever but also hot headed
Both loved each other since the day they were wedded
Their matrimony and his reign were both one of peace
But slowly there emerged disturbing signs on unease
A host of factors had shaken her tribe's foundation
Infectious diseases had ravaged their population
“Fire water” formed one of several deadly harms
Many defenseless were prey to modern firearms
Agriculture suffered terribly and big game got rare
Apart from other tribes, now colonists joined warfare
And then advancing settlers attacked in several waves
Natives who survived were often captured as slaves
Naturally he was at the forefront, on his sturdy mount
They were outnumbered as far as his eye could count
The inevitable happened as they struggled in vain
Their losses mounted as scores of his men were slain
With the blood red, setting sun, he too finally fell
Clubbed, stabbed or shot, none could really tell
Paint mixed with blood crusted his coppery skin
Crushed vitals and shattered bones lay within
Lips forever still, she would never hear him roar
Eyes like black discs, seeing nothing anymore
Sprawled on his back was how she finally found him
She sank to her knees as the tears started to swim
Hoof beats sounded behind her but she did not turn
She could not bear to think how much she would yearn
Crouching all by herself, struck mute with grief
In the desolate landscape with her departed chief
Unspeakable horrors stained and scarred the ground
Her lips were pressed white and her eyes were stoic
Visualizing the last few hours, futile even if heroic
Accustomed to her warriors and their ways
She walked to the battlefield in a silent daze
Her father had fallen to an arrow straight to the heart
Two younger brothers were the next ones to depart
A fierce but prudent succeeding chief was soon named
Young, pretty and marriageable, she was then claimed
He was a man of few words but loved a good jest
She tended to the domesticity giving her very best
He was gallant and clever but also hot headed
Both loved each other since the day they were wedded
Their matrimony and his reign were both one of peace
But slowly there emerged disturbing signs on unease
A host of factors had shaken her tribe's foundation
Infectious diseases had ravaged their population
“Fire water” formed one of several deadly harms
Many defenseless were prey to modern firearms
Agriculture suffered terribly and big game got rare
Apart from other tribes, now colonists joined warfare
And then advancing settlers attacked in several waves
Natives who survived were often captured as slaves
Naturally he was at the forefront, on his sturdy mount
They were outnumbered as far as his eye could count
The inevitable happened as they struggled in vain
Their losses mounted as scores of his men were slain
With the blood red, setting sun, he too finally fell
Clubbed, stabbed or shot, none could really tell
Paint mixed with blood crusted his coppery skin
Crushed vitals and shattered bones lay within
Lips forever still, she would never hear him roar
Eyes like black discs, seeing nothing anymore
Sprawled on his back was how she finally found him
She sank to her knees as the tears started to swim
Hoof beats sounded behind her but she did not turn
She could not bear to think how much she would yearn
Crouching all by herself, struck mute with grief
In the desolate landscape with her departed chief
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The Widow of the Chief
The Widow of the Chief