Earthbound

Earthbound

by Michael R. Burch

Tashunka Witko, a Lakota Sioux better known as Crazy Horse, had a vision of a red-tailed hawk at Sylvan Lake, South Dakota. In his vision he saw himself riding a spirit horse, flying through a storm, as the hawk flew above him, shrieking. When he awoke, a red-tailed hawk was perched near his horse. 

Earthbound,

and yet I now fly

through these clouds that are aimlessly drifting ...

so high

that no sound

echoing by

below where the mountains are lifting

the sky

can be heard.

Like a bird,

but not meek,

like a hawk from a distance regarding its prey,

I will shriek,

not a word,

but a screech,

and my terrible clamor will turn them to clay―

the sheep,

the earthbound.

Published by American Indian Pride and Boston Poetry Magazine