Ancient warrior

Blood cannot change. Sometime must go back to your place of birth to learn peace.

                     

   Ancient warrior

I drove to the forest.
Away from the city.
I took my grandson with me to learn the spirit of the forest.
We walked deep into the safety of the woods and
the friendship of the wind.
I watched the birds and animals fly and roam free.

I found a river.
The water was strong and still clean from man's pollution.
I took out my sage. I lit the sage.
Said a quiet prayer.

I walked along the river.
Three year old Grandson followed.

"Spirit of life and death.
Please give me strength and wisdom.
Protect the water, the earth and the sky.
Allow the spirit of the hawk and wolf to send wisdom
to the leaders of this world.
So much war and violence.
Hate had overtook kindness."

I heard a quiet whisper in the wind.
"Ancient Warrior. Put your feet into the river.
Refresh your body and heart. Allow nature to absorb your pain."

I put my feet into the water. My grandson does the same.
I looked to the sky and whispered.
"Thank you spirit of life and death.
Thank you for the drinking water.
Thank you for the green earth.
Thank you for the clean air."

I raised my hand to the sky.
I allowed the sage smoke to spread around me and my grandson.
I knew the truth. I relearn many times in my life.

"We are one people on one planet.
We must live together in peace.
We must know peace for the sake of the children."

People tell me.
Man is foolish.
He cannot know peace. He cannot live without war.
Will a nuclear weapon killing a million people?
Will their screams of cities show the way to peace?

Old ancient warrior watches his grandson run through the forest.
He wondered what kind of world did he leave for his grandchild?

                            Coyote
                            Sept. 2012

Author's Note

People tell me. War is a part of us. One day when we are all dead. What will be remembered about the race of man?

Reviews

[Kaylor Mason]

That's a very good question. That's one reason I became a writer, rather than a soldier. Wars come, and wars go, and soldiers always die in the end and become dust . . . but our written words are eternal, and they live on forever. As necessary as soldiers are to society (and as much as I admire them,) something tells me being a writer is more of a lasting legacy than being a soldier

[Caradoc]

And when we are all dead and gone, who then will read the words of hearts? Even though we may leave our legacies in stone, as did our ancient ancestors, who might be left to wonder at our passing?

Depressing I know, but as a writer, I think on these questions often.

-Caradoc

[Cole Hayley]

Incredible my friend. Looking at the darkness of our existence I see, you tell this so expertly that it consumes the reader. I am truly impressed.

[ElizabethRaine]

This is beautiful. The way it is written reminds me of Indians, very strongly. Not to mention it has a heart in the middle of it all. Nature and the Grandson. "So much war and violence. Hate had overtook kindness." I absolutely love this line. It's very true with how the world is today and for you to have captured that perfectly is remarkable. I've left a few things I noticed below, but otherwise this is a wonderful piece. I rate it 100 because of the wording, the story behind it and the meaning.

Note:
Blood cannot change. Sometime must go back to your place of birth to learn peace.
*Sometime you
*Sometimes you
Will a nuclear weapon killing a million people *kill

[poeticpiers]

Man attempts to dominate Nature instead of working within her rules.What will be remembered is his foolishness. By the few Nature preserves as breeding stock.

[.]

Very deep, Coyote. I am 24, and I wonder what kind of world my children are going to see? Great write.

[Poe Redd]

Beaufitful poem, i love the messege, the story.. So often you come up with my favorite poetry!

[*~*Butterfly Kisses*~*]

A great question and inspiring write! I love how you always have a bit of a subliminal message to humankind within your writes. Marvelous.

[marytownsend]

Beautiful and heartfelt! Love the easy flow even with the hard questions. I can see the young grandson running through the forest, great imagery!

[Bewitching Sensations]

loved this very moving...

[Violet Dreams...]

This is beautiful, questioning man and war.Can man really live without power.
And if he can't what valiant features will be left of this world and men?

Today the earth might suffer loss, destroyed and battered, yet the bragging man says I am a powerful conqueror of all....
You have given us something to ponder on...

"People tell me.
Man is foolish.
He cannot know peace. He cannot live without war.
Will a nuclear weapon killing a million people?
Will their screams of cities show the way to peace?"

[~]

Yeah Coyote, a lot has changed since the time of our ancestors. But humans are always at war. We are creatures of conflict, just as all animals, and sometimes I wonder how much of that has to do with our lesser nature. The more we advance in society with technology, the more it seems that we use these brilliant minds we have evolved into weapons of destruction. To find peace, we must return to our roots, and remember what connects us to the earth, and to our fellow man, not what seperates us. Cleanse ourselves, as you have said, with the sage smoke. A very thought provoking read for me this morning. I suppose what will be remembered is still being written. It is for the warriors grandson to continue to write now. Well done, poet.