The hills and the Apache

A old poem when I was seeking who I was. Written in 1992.

                       












                    





The hills and the Apache

I had a bottle of good tequila. A bag of some fresh lemons.
I drove for three hours to the California fault line.
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. 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 drink 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. 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. Whisper 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 strong 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

A very old poem. Old thoughts and memories. Any mistakes. Please assist a old writer.

Reviews

[khalid]

people are the cause of all coruption on earth. imagine how earth was before manking come to live on it, i am sure there wasnt any kind of pollution! earth was then pure, vergin, clean, never touched. but after people started to settle when they started to farm lands, built houses, villages then cities, then the corrupt was the most after the industrial revolotion which started in England and then spread to all of your to other countries. but now, then what? where are we going and taking earth with us? what about the future of next generations? i think we should really be careful for our planet. thank you so much for this nice writing

[emmajoy]

This is beautiful in both presentation and content, John! What a moral your writing contains, all-giving and in absolute essence is to remind us all that life is to be valued in every way, that our planet needs as much care or more than we give to family.

Trouble is Man has this thing called abject greed running through his veins, forgets that the earth is not for the taking but for the giving. Imagine that picture of yours above - so lush and green .. imagine it as a housing development or thick with smoke spewing out of factory chimneys. We must curb our greed before it's too late and remember, remember completely, that there is more, much more to consider in life than slaughtering it.

Thank you for nudging our thought, thank you for your beautiful words.

[quinfinn]

i have Seminole blood in my veins, so i am enamoured with native American lore and culture, this piece was an excellent journey into the past and weaves a beautiful story of values lost and a way of life which is disappearing. the native American could teach the world much about harmony with nature and respect for the earth. Outstanding piece of writing here, i really loved it!!

[Anthony M Smith Jr]

HaHo(Hello),
Very awesome poem my friend and to think you were able to meet a yah-beh-chee and they have sunrise ceremonies and have lodges like ours given to them by someone i know. I like the way your words brought me right there next to you and White Buffalo.
I have been so caught up in my daily tasks and cleaning altars and praying, I always think of my family I made while it may be a short time, it was worth my effort. Pretty sad someone said to me that I had to look else where to find comfort in my time of change from this world to my next journey.
Life and Light my brother! May the EarthMaker pity your humble prayer you say for your worries and concerns!
TT-TTO-NI-K
Elk

[Morning Star]

The Native American is the most in tune souls of mother earth
Love how your words capture their beautiful beliefs and wisdom
SUPER Write

[I Shred This Cabbage]

you are a saint man. this is beautiful. it is a very sobering read there is no need for sentiment as the moment in itself is so clean. You have not wasted words on flowery expansion, it is straight and true and seems to float past like all beautiful moments.

[Barbara Walker]

This is beautiful prose and, as always I give you my grammar corrections:)
5th line- An old...began to
6th line-you have come
15th line- find its sorrow and pain
21st line- listened to his prayer wandered in my thoughts
25th line- Created a fire
32nd line- the old man's face
38th line- Captain Jack comes to me
39th line- whispers secrets
41st line- anger overtakes you
and lastly, I still remember White Buffalo's words

[Cree Nations]

A great story. I will need to read it several more times, if that's ok before I can really give a credible review.
The White Buffalo is sacred to my people, and we have been hurt very recently by the slaughter of Lightening Medicine Cloud, the one year old white buffalo born on the Lakota ranch here in Northeast Texas.
I will come back to read again.

[Cathy Wattam]

Beautiful poem. The wisdom of the ancient ones is very powerful. I love the story here. Thank you for sharing.

[rosemary keogh]

This is a amazing story poem. Felt so much wisdom in it. Very powerful