Old News

A factual account of my first awareness of racism.

Sitting Bull was the first to win in the movies you know?
You should have been there, they killed all the cavalry men!
Never before had Indians won in the movies though
What did it mean?  Were Redskins not evil then?
I was bubbling with the news because you didn't come
And Crazy Horse was so neat and Custer so mean
You should have come it was a western but it wasn't dumb
And it changed the big screen for what we had seen
Was so real it had to be what really was the truth
With the Indians all smart and brave just like it was real . . .
I am sorry I never realized why you found cowboys uncouth
But would it all change then. . .?  It has to I feel.
My best friend stung with my awakening to such views
But fifty years later what we did to them' is. . . ?  Old news.

Reviews

[paddy d daly]

What a wonderful poem, not only for the rhyme and rhythm but the truth behind it, blew me away.