Apologies, and a poem

So, it's been about three weeks without posts. Terribly sorry, but two major term papers, finals, and moving do that. The good news, though, is that I've done well in all my classes and my new apartment is looking great after a long day and a half of scrubbing and painting. Things, I must admit, will be again fairly scattered here, as starting next Tuesday I'll be on the road doing far more important things. Still, I'll get in an entry when I can. Today, here's a piece by Sherman Alexie, a Native American writer (of mixed tribal ancestry) whom I only knew through his short fiction until recently. His story "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" is a personal favorite of mine, and forms a part of the basis for the film Smoke Signals (which I've only seen part of). I still prefer the fiction to his poetry, but this particular piece I thought worth sharing.

"Crow Testament"

1.
Cain lifts Crow, that heavy black bird
and strikes down Abel.

Damn, says Crow, I guess
this is just the beginning.

2.
The white man, disguised
as a falcon, swoops in
and yet again steals a salmon
from Crow's talons.

Damn, says Crow, if I could swim
I would have fled this country years ago.

3.
The Crow God as depicted
in all of the reliable Crow bibles
looks exactly like a crow.

Damn, says Crow, this makes it
so much easier to worship myself.

4.
Among the ashes of Jericho,
Crow sacrifices his firstborn son.

Damn, says Crow, a million nests
are soaked with blood.

5.
When Crows fight Crows
the sky fills with beaks and talons.

Damn, says Crow, it's raining feathers.

6.
Crow flies around the reservation
and collects empty beer bottles
but they are so heavy
he can carry only one at a time.

So, one by one, he returns them
but gets only five cents a bottle.

Damn, says Crow, redemption
is not easy.

7.
Crow rides a pale horse
into a crowded powwow
but none of the Indians panic.

Damn, says Crow, I guess
they already live near the end of the world.

2000