A Warrior is Tamed :: Stryx :: Original Poetry

A Warrior is Tamed

I still walk with my brother - my sister - my friends
I still hear children laughing and our dogs runnin
My shaded eyes see the eagle circle overhead
and the deer with their fauns out sunnin

Yes it is only in memory that I see all this
Now I live in a wooden trailer on wheels
No grass. Only dirt shifts under my boots
We long ago succumbed and took the deals

My children all are gone. I rock in my chair alone
Sunset took a foreign name, and died of an overdose
Howling Dog, my boy was killed in a bar room brawl
My life and my memories don't even come close

My knife is now nailed to the wall
Within me there is no more fight
We are beaten and confused
I know not what is wrong from right
------------------------------------------------
The sun is warm as I sit in my chair
I have hung up my knife, and cut my hair
It is easier now than I realized
For now they tell me I am civilized

But still I dream of the olden ways
The mornings cold and the golden days
Men were real men and our wives were real women
And we hunted our food and lakes were for swimmin

I'm too old to live the life of a warrior
One of my brothers is now a lawyer
I've contributed, I guess - all I could
But there's no one to stand where the elders stood

So I sit in the sun, and tell the old tales
Remembering the wars and hearing squaw's wails
And I try to forget that warriors weep
As I silently drift off to the eternal sleep

Poem Comments

(11)

: Please login or register

You must be logged in or register a new account in order to
leave comments/feedback and rate this poem.
Login or Register

Chaos128 commented on A Warrior is Tamed 09-21-2010: The cumulative combined weights of time and circumstance train us all eventually. You've made this work especially meaningful.; Reply to Comment

Stryx 09/21/2010: Thank you, Mr. C. Sometimes winners can weap for the loosers. Often it's hard to tell which is which.

ginga commented on A Warrior is Tamed 09-20-2010: Stryx, This poem is absolutely charming and oh so real. The imagery is tangible and the story humbling. ty for this post. ginga; Reply to Comment

Stryx 09/21/2010: We have a conquered people that in many ways have not recovered. Just walking in their moccasins for a brief moment. Thank You ginga.

RPT40 commented on A Warrior is Tamed 09-15-2010: This is an amazing write! You faced every challenge thrown your way. You suffered through more hard times than 10 men, and from what I've read of your writing, managed to hold on to the qualities the make us great as people. I tip my hat to you sir.; Reply to Comment

Olan01 commented on A Warrior is Tamed 09-15-2010: We all age and lose much. I have lost much over the years but i have gain more in wisdom and I suspect you have, also; from what this poems says. This is a wonderful yet sad retrospective of a warrior. I salute you.; Reply to Comment

Stryx 09/15/2010: Thank you Mr. O I appreciate your comment.

Teardrops commented on A Warrior is Tamed 09-13-2010: I see a life of happiness for you my friend .the poem is only showing the negtive when you have so much ahead of you my friend love the poem because the author shows a life lived to the fulliest thanks Marie; Reply to Comment

Stryx 09/14/2010: Pretty deep, Marie. Thanks.'-)

Load more comments