The Conquerors

We are all brothers under the skin…

They came one, they came all, not as friends but the enemy,

To kill, conquer, and to maim with their saints and their enmity.

“We want land not your souls for you people are so godless,”

We cried then so very loud, begged for mercy, they couldn't care less.

I remember they came hard, full of metal, we heard clanking,

They had guns, used their sights, we had gods started chanting.

“We want gold not your souls for you people are so vile,”

We cried then so very loud, for we were native, they hostile.

We stood tall, we stood ready, they came all with their brothers,

To divide, to displace, chained us all, and our mothers.

“We want bodies not your souls for you’re strong like the ox,”

We cried then but not so loud, stayed real cool sly as the fox.

We prayed loud, destroy the White, and then He appeared in splendid light,

So loving and kind but missive unclear - love all thy neighbors and be contrite?

"Oh why holy man, to spare their lives, we reject this vile message you send,

They never had love for us so why now should we now befriend?"

"You want revenge for the White who hath given pain and lessens life,

But they are your brothers so forgive the pain, the horror, and the strife."

So this He did do, for hate is a sin, He rid us of white but then all other color,

All beauty in life did share a stain but the colors of dull that became ever duller.

A lesson was given but still we did hate, that’s why He left us for home,

But since that day He hath given back color not primary but white as bone.

He also sent back his angel of mercy with message in beautiful sack,

Not white but made of many hues, what color we did lack.

The message He sent for one and for all is to love your fellow brother,

For He spared all your lives, the son of God, from Spirit and Holy Mother.

Until this day we retell this story, a lesson of compassion and love,

Love they brother, there is no color, from your Father from heaven above.

poem by Hayyel…sep

Author's Note

Despite our theology or lack thereof, the lesson is clear: love thy brother, for there truly is no color…