To Spare the Child

To spare the child I am native to this land Invaded by white men Who slaughtered us demanding Gold that we could not give them I cannot even remember what I thought today Perhaps it will re-emerge as another’s The thoughts that I do remember are deeply troubling Love so intertwined with sorrow That to spare the child, death becomes forgivable It happened before when massacre became inevitable I understand now what I didn’t then How a mother could take her own life and that of her child To protect them from the pain that would inevitably follow When nothing was left when there was no one to turn to When sorrow was so deep no joy could follow But life is so precious, Do we take the drink that makes us sleep Or do we wait in horror Anticipating the cruelty that’s coming tomorrow