Shadows of Unforgotten Stories : Legacy of Silenced Drums

"AND WE REMEMBER."
Whispered the rippling waters of the winding river,
Flowing with memories that will not be washed away.

"We remember the drums that once beat joyfully,
Now silenced by violence and greed."
The earth lamented with tremors of sorrow.

"We remember the smoke from village fires,
Snuffed out by bloody conquest."
Cried the drifting clouds in mournful shades of gray.

"We remember children's laughter and mothers' lullabies,
Drowned out by cries of the dying."
Sang the howling wind, heavy with tragedy.

"We remember warriors, proud and free,
Cut down by cold metal and colder hearts."
Roared the rumbling thunder with rage.

"We remember shamans connecting earth and sky,
Their wisdom scorned and rituals defiled."   
Hissed the swirling leaves, scattered like ashes.

"We remember the stories etched on canyon walls,  
Painted over by ignorance and arrogance."
Whimpered the trembling Aspen trees, stripped of meaning.

"We remember the once-abundant herds,
Hunted without care by those who took and left nothing."
Grumbled the shaking earth, eroded and depleted.

"We remember the kaleidoscope of languages,
Silenced by forced assimilation."
Sighed the weary wind, grasping at lost words.

"We remember vibrant cultures and complex cosmologies,
Trivialized into relics and museum pieces."
Murmured the flowing waters, diverted from their sources.

"We remember land and life, intrinsically one,
Fragmented by boundaries and bloodshed."
Cried the aching land and animals, separated from kin.  

"We remember centuries of exploitation and erasure,
Buried under myths of discovery and destiny."
Thundered the rumbling skies, heavy with unresolved justice.

"We remember and we endure, as land endures seasons,
As rivers carve canyons, as the wind reshapes stone."
Whispered the wavering grass, persistence evergreen.

"We remember and we rise, as sun rises after darkness,
As trees grow back after fire, as spirit survives suffering."  
Breathed the first light of dawn, banishing the night shadows.

"We remember and we speak, with the voices of the land-
Of earth, water, wind, and sky-Never to be silenced again."
Resounded creation, testifying to truth through the ages.

We remember and we shall not forget-
The stories are carved into canyon walls.
The memories ripple in eternal waters.
The lessons thunder through rolling storms.
The calls for justice ride on ancient winds.  
The spirits of the dead cannot be appeased,
Until the living change what must be changed.
There can be no peace until there is reckoning.
Our memory is as long as the land is old.























   The poem is part of a full version found in the book “Homo Sapiens” Part Part I - XVIII, written by Mawphniang Napoleon. This book is part of the popular “Homo Sapiens” book series, which can be purchased online at various online bookstores, such as Amazon. The book is available for purchase for those who are interested in reading the complete version of the poem. Remember to get all the books from the “Homo Sapiens” series, as well as other books by the same author.   So, don’t hesitate and get a copy today from one of the many online bookstores.   Khublei Shihajar Nguh,  (Dhanewad  )(Thank you )