The hills and the Apache..

Written in 1992 with a re-write.

The hills and the Apache..

I had many bottles of the good tequila. A bag of some fresh lemons.
I drove for three hours to the California fault line.
To do some free-climbing and drink till I didn’t give a s**t.

On my walk into the mountain.
A old Native American  begin to walk with me.
He looked at me and he told me. You have came a long way.
Learn so little. I want to sit with you, maybe we can learn from each other.

I told the man my name. My name is John. Just a soldier trying to forget.
The old man reached out and took my hand.

 Told me.  I’m a old Apache. A old man seeking  friendship
and maybe we can share your magic juice. They call me White Buffalo.

I smiled and thought the man loco. But he looked safe. I told him he was welcome to
join my walk and share the tequila.

He told me the story of tequila. Tequila was once a plant for medicine. Could make the mind
find it sorrow and pain. Now white man drink the medicine for entertainment.

I took the old man to my secret waterfall. Hidden in between four hills.  I have brought few to this spot.

White Buffalo told me. This is a special place here. Captain Jack and his braves drank from this water many times in the past.

He unhooked his small drums. Gently sang a prayer to the Native Americans who lived and died here. I listen  to the prayer and wander into my thoughts.

The gentle tapping of the drum and the taste of the tequila made me think of people missed and lost on my journey to feel everything in life that can be felt.  Faces of people gone appeared in my thoughts. I desired forgiveness for leaving so many. So many things left behind.

White Buffalo stopped playing the drum. He create a fire with some sticks and  brought out a small pot. He put some water into the small pot. In a small bag he brought out some plants. I watched him break them apart and put them into the water.

He smiled and told me. Today we will drink the ancient tea. We will watch the sun fall and rise. We will sing to the moon. We will become one with the waterfall and the mountain. We will become like the four hills. Able to take the pain and the burden of the seasons. Allow the pain and misery of yesterday to fade away.

I drank the tea. The old man face faded in and out. He was singing to the mountain. I had dreams of my brothers. Their faces were laughing and whispering to me. “We are Okay. One day we will find us again.”

In the morning I awoke sitting against the rocks.

White Buffalo told me. Life is long, easy for no-one. The spirit of your blood must come alive. Allow the anger to turn to strength. Do some good things and don’t repeat the same mistake twice. Your life must have direction. I love these hills and the waterfall. Some nights Captain Jack come to me. Whispered secrets of life and mystery. He told me. Native Americans must protect nature. We are responsible for the earth, the sky and the water.

White Buffalo shook my hand. He give me some stones and told me. When anger overtake you. Hold the stones. Bring the anger  into the stone and live with the spirit of peace and kindness.

He left me alone on the cliff and waved goodbye to me. I wanted to thank him, but he disappeared quickly into the vast hills of the California fault line. I felt lighter and stronger this morning.  I saw the clear sky and felt a new desire to be alive. I knew greed and hate must leave my thoughts and life. I had to find a reason to be alive.

I still remember White Buffalo words. Native Americans must teach the people of this world. To protect the animal, the earth, the green and the water..

                                  Coyote
                                 1992

Author's Note

Thank you for reading.

Reviews

[keith]

I still remember White Buffalo words. Native Americans must teach the people of this world. To protect the animal, the earth, the green and the water..

as long as 'white men' believe in their jesus there will never be peace with the indigenous tribes of this world
it was and still is the lie of 'forget who you are and what you believe' that is the do as we say not as we do

the indigenous have been stripped of and forbidden to be as they always were before the greed and evil of the white man made known it's presence

we the whites will never understand life as meant to be for we have been poisoned by the words of our heritage and greeds of our own ways

it is with the religions of the whites that decimated all others into obscurity

i apologize for their behaviors

[Coyote Poetry]

It okay Keith. I am 1/2 Ojibwa and my parent named me John Wayne. I agree. Religion had killed more people than oil. I appreciate the comment.

[keith]

i am mostly white and know well the evils and failings of my race
i contributed

[Coyote Poetry]

No perfect race Keith. If the Native Americans gathered as one. They would of kept land. Still today. The tribes don't talk to each other. Here in Michigan. The tribes are wealthy. The east coast tribes are wealthy and the Northwest tribes are poor. And western tribes are struggling. Their greed and war kept them separate. Hard to understand.

[keith]

it's the true nature of mankind ... ALL mankind !
survival of the fittest? or one of seven deadly sins?
or ... intentional obsolesce by design?
making way for the next ...?

[Coyote Poetry]

You are 100% right Keith. I will be reading soon. Making myself some homemade Eggplant parmesan. Good to be retired.

[Dave Brown]

very nicely done
we need more white buffalo, whether they be prairie dogs, wolves or wolverines.
Will it happen?
the whales have made a big comeback, perhaps other miracles will take place.
you said night animals are now roaming the Detroit area
'They" did a documentary on Chernobyl that also showed wildlife returning
if it happens there, it could happen anywhere

[Coyote Poetry]

Yes Dave. The deer come into the parks, the wolves, the coyotes roamed the outer city at night. I grow sweet grass for the Jack-rabbits. I see them sneaking in late in the night and eating. Nature will outlast us. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[red93]

Beautiful meditation Coyote. My Small Publishers is named firewaterpress in honour of the Native Americans. They share so much in common with what happened to the Celtic Peoples in the History of the UK. So much time has passed though in the UK, and now Wales even has its own Government. Our Rulers here are kinder I deduce.

[Coyote Poetry]

The Celtic songs and poetry are coming alive my friend. I wish more Scottish and Irish music. I listen on YouTube. We must ensure. The ancient people are not forgotten. Thank you for reading and the comment my friend.

[Chris Shaw]

I love this write so much. White Buffalo, with his wisdom has the knowledge to teach so many. You were fortunate to have his company Coyote. Now you pass that wisdom on to your readers and we will remember him and Native Americans too. Thank you my friend.This rewrite I do believe one of my favourites of all your writes.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you dear Chris. I believe, in a life. We meet many kind spirits willing to assist us.

[Chris Shaw]

We do and when that happens I for one am ever thankful :) Have a good week Coyote.

[Coyote Poetry]

You have a wonderful week dear Chris and try to have some fun.

[Weeping willow]

Such a beautiful heartfelt story poem and I so loved every word of its wisdom that flows through your words. Amazing write. At certain times I feel more close to the other side of my mind and words of a different nature flow through.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you my dear friend. I loved to free-climb the California. Was always changing. Always something new to see and find.

[~Sarah~ Idríel T..]

Such a meaningfull and beautifull words, John. You know my heart has never truly leave those lands. I am a free spirit. Life's journey and I am glad that we've met.

Thank you for sharing White Buffalo words.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome dear Sarah. I befriended more Apaches in Texas. They adopted the 1/2 Ojibwa man.

[~Sarah~ Idríel The Fair]

That warms heart indeed.

[.]

I think I need some of those stones that White Buffalo gave you to hold. Anger sneaks up on me on occasion and lets loose with a vengeance, so I'll take his advice to you and hold some stones next time.

Such a mystical write, my friend. Obviously a real occurrence in your life and one filled with simple wisdom that many easily overlook. I am not sure I believe in fate but perhaps you meeting him that day was destined to be and in many ways, saved your life and put you on the steadfast path you still walk today. We all need someone to open our mind and eyes at times. With that kind of clarity, life becomes much easier to navigate.

A fascinating read. I enjoyed your re-write very much.

[Coyote Poetry]

The stones do work Doodley. My sister daughters die at eight years old. I was messed up and I bought some moon stones. I held them for one week. The stones turn black. I returned the moon stones to the Clinton River to re-charge. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[AYVID N]

White Buffalo was amazing, the way you sketched him.
He is so mystical and yet so beaitifully simple in his teachings.
It was as if God sent him to you to get a new perspective on life just about when you needed it the most. Such people are almost divine.
I learnt so much about Native Americans today. A wonderful people indeed.
I'll never forget to hold a stone when I'm angry.
This story, this poem shall stay with me.

[Coyote Poetry]

Dear Divya. Now I carry the stones with me. I hold them when I need to find peace, lose anger. I love the moon stones. Hard to find. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[AYVID N]

You are welcome, dear Coyote. Thank you for the wonderful poem.

[John the Baptist]

This one is reminiscent of tales from the far east where a weary seeker finds relief in the words of a native wise man. Here the speaker encounters an elderly Apache who advises him to let the pain and anger of the past fade away. Some kind of catharsis is achieved during the night, after which the old man fades away. Was he a dream? A hallucination? It does not matter. The speaker is renewed by his words and emboldened to seek life anew. But that we all could have access to such wisdom when we badly need it.









This one is reminiscent of tales from the far east in which a weary seeker receives words of wisdom from a native wise man. Here the speaker

[Coyote Poetry]

I would love to go to the Middle East. Vietnam or India. Just sit and pray with the old wise men and women. Thank you my friend for reading and the comment. Once the Native Americans did Vision quests. I need to do one.