Noble heritage they cannot erase
Ancestor’s plight laid bare for all to see
Tribal identity etched in each face
Invincible spirit their pedigree
Various attempts meant to “civilize”
Expanding demands for more and more land
Pogroms by forced removal terrorized
Extreme suffering they had to withstand.
Their unshakable resolve saw them through
Providing strength to mitigate their fears
Lives lost, yes, their memory they’ll renew
Endless remembrance of the Trail of Tears.
12/20/2018 - Poetry form: Acrostic (the first letter of each line spells out the poem's title) - This is my first acrostic poem. I'm also reading an Amazon Best Book of June 2018, Tommy Orange's debut novel entitled "There There," which explores the lives of native people living in cities, not reservations. Thus, my inspiration to write this poem. - Copyright © Mark Toney | Year Posted 2018
