Wednesday, April 11, 2012

96. American Expansion


America packed up its wagon
To head out on the trail toward California
For gold.
The Mormons moved west under the guidance of their prophet
For God.
Adventurers went out to explore
For Glory.
The three G’s that drove men’s souls and spirits for years.
Gold, God, Glory.
Moving them across the expanse of prairie.
Uncle Sam drew a line across the continent.
“You can have all this land over here” he said, “and we will take the rest.”
But then he changed its mind.
“We’ll take this from you as well.”
The land shrank quickly
As the new nation gobbled it up
For progress.
They pushed,
Breaking treaties,
Causing tears,
Making new treaties,
Breaking them,
Causing more tears.
Blood from the thousand nations
Ran down mountains,
Through plains,
Mingling with tears and sweat
From thousands of miles of migration.
The white man settled the nomads,
Straightened the land with rails,
Fenced it in,
Claiming it as their own.
Those that didn’t adapt
Met their end
In war or captivity.

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