Poems and song lyrics
159,523 poems read
How Much Indian Are You
I had a man ask me once
How much Indian are you
I looked at him
And then answered
I’m not sure
This did not seem to make him happy
He persisted
Are you one forth, one eighth
A sixteenth maybe
Again I told him
I really am not sure
But this was not an answer
That he would accept
He said
What about a thirty-second or
Possibly one sixty-fourth
I grew tired of this game
I asked him
Why is it so important
Is it that you wish to group me
With a bunch of other people
Or maybe
Away from some others
I am but a man
My family comes from a great many places
Maybe your desire
Is to find out how much Indian I have
So that you can possibly remove it
Isolate it somehow
If you cut away my foot
Would it still remain in me
I would think so
What about my hand
Would that do it
Is that enough to take
Or
Would you need to take
An arm or a leg
Could you then be sure
That it was all gone
I think not
To be sure that you could take this from me
You would probably have to take
My heart
And if you ask me
What part of my body
That this represents
Again you will get the same answer
I’m not sure
Ed Roberts 4/17/01
Comment On This Poem ---
How much Indian Are You
How much Indian Are You